The Yule Ball
"Professor Beazley, might I have this dance?"
Jean turned to see Lucien holding out his hand to her with an affectionate smile on his face. "It would be my pleasure, Professor Blake."
The two began to dance to the waltz tune the band was playing. Some of the students were attempting to dance, but most were far too awkward to bother. Lucien did feel for them; nothing was worse than being ages fourteen through seventeen and feeling pressured to do anything in public, as though experiencing puberty weren't terrible enough without adding dancing to the mix.
But neither professor could be bothered by the pointing and whispering of their students as the waltzed around the floor. Jean's better nature knew they were drawing far too much attention, but she couldn't possibly care. She and Lucien had been looking forward to the dance for weeks.
After their kiss in the greenhouse after the Quidditch Finals in the previous school year, they'd each been bogged down by preparing final exams and grading them. Neither had been able to give more than a moment's thought to romance until well into July. Lucien had nervously approached Jean outside the library that summer, asking if she would show him around the gardens, as he'd noticed some new plants that he wanted to ask her about. She had agreed but asked him what he really wanted, since he couldn't tell a chrysanthemum from a snargaluff. That was when Lucien confessed he'd been thinking about her constantly for months and wanted to wait until they were less busy before he asked to court her. Jean had replied by kissing him in the shade of the willow trees that shaded her greenhouse.
And now, months later, they were inseparable. They tried their best to keep their relationship away from prying eyes of students and other teachers, but it wasn't very easy. As it was, Lucien would put his hand on her knee under the table at lunch and Jean would find excuses to come inside the castle during breaks between her classes just so she could check in on Lucien. The Yule Ball provided the perfect cover for them to have some affectionate moments and share a few dances in public without arousing too much suspicion.
Dancing with him, spinning and laughing and feeling his hand on the small of her back beneath her dress robes, Jean was beginning to feel quite warm. And it had nothing to do with the exertion or the thousands of candles floating around them. "Lucien, I think perhaps we should be good chaperones and check to make sure none of the students have gone out to the gardens."
"You're quite right, Jean. We wouldn't want anything inappropriate going on in your garden." The glint in his eye was all Jean needed to know they both had the same idea in mind. Namely, that something very inappropriate was about to go on in the garden.
The professors did their duty by scolding a pair Sixth Years they caught snogging in one of the castle's archways. "Rose Anderson! Danny Parks! You both should know better! This area is out of bounds during the dance. Besides, it snowed this morning and you'll catch your death in the cold," Jean barked. "Five points from Gryffindor for you, Miss Anderson, and five points from Slytherin, Mr. Parks."
"Five! Professor, it's the Yule Ball!" Rose whined.
Danny elbowed her gently and teased, "I think the professors here had the same idea we did."
Jean's eyes went wide, and Lucien laughed behind her. Jean pulled out her wand and cast a silent jinx on Professor Blake to glue his lips shut. Rose and Danny both erupted in hysterics. Jean sighed. "Alright. Two points each. But get back inside. Professor Blake and I are patrolling the corridors, and if I catch you again, it will be detention on the first day of term."
"Yes, ma'am," the students replied appreciatively, hurrying back to the dance inside.
When they were gone, Jean turned back to Lucien and performed the counter-jinx.
"Bloody hell, Jean!"
"That'll teach you to laugh at me in front of the students, Lucien. I don't like having to use my wand on you, but I won't hesitate," she threatened. But she softened, glancing each way to make sure they were alone, and pressing a quick kiss to his newly-freed lips. "I think I can make it up to you," she whispered.
"Oh?"
Jean took his hand and led him around the back garden to Greenhouse Two. She backed him up against the worktable, pressing her body up close to him. He leaned in to kiss her, but she dodged him. She pulled out her wand, making Lucien very worried indeed. But Jean smirked and pointed her wand straight up. And when Lucien looked above their heads, he saw that she'd conjured a sprig of mistletoe
He chuckled. "Clever witch," he murmured before pulling her face to him to kiss deeply.
Lucien's lips moved over Jean's in a practiced rhythm. He bit her bottom lip before running his tongue over the bite to soothe her. He was rewarded by a breathy moan from her. Her hands clutched at his dress robes, desperate to push the layers of fabric away and feel his body hot on hers. She shivered in his embrace, thanks to the snowy chill just outside the glass walls.
He broke away from her, pulling his wand out of his pocket. With a few flicks of his wrist, he conjured blue flames all around them. A handy charm, it brought light and warmth without causing anything to burn.
Jean smiled, feeling instantly more comfortable. She then gave a single wave of her wand all around the room to put coverings over all the windows; with the fire, anyone walking by would be able to see in quite clearly.
"I think, Jean, it's time I perform another sort of magic with an altogether different wand of mine," Lucien growled.
Jean's eyes went wide, and she laughed at his dirty innuendo. "Professor Blake, whatever will I do with you?"
"I'm hoping you'll make love to me," he replied, his eyes shining with desire and adoration.
"Why do you think I dragged you out to the greenhouse?" Jean answered, biting her lip teasingly.
With one final wave of his wand, Lucien vanished the robes off them both, leaving their clothes folded neatly on the far end of the worktable. Jean was mildly shocked by his action, but couldn't fault him. The cold air, even with the flames crackling behind them, brought tingles to her skin. Her breasts stood pert and aching for his warm touch and hot mouth. Lucien eyed her hungrily. He was already partially hard in anticipation.
Jean placed her palms on his broad chest, her favorite place to snuggle up, and began sucking on his neck, making certain she could leave a mark he'd need to hide by wearing a scarf indoors. She continued kissing and sucking and nipping and licking down his neck and chest, grazing her teeth over his nipples. The sharp inhale he gave made her smile, as did the twitch she felt in his erection, pressing against her abdomen. Jean dragged her fingernails gently down his waist and hips as she lowered herself down on her knees. As he always did when Jean wanted to do this for him, Lucien reached for his wand to conjure a pillow for her to kneel on. It was a simple courtesy that made Jean feel very appreciated, even more eager to put her lips around his hardness.
Lucien's fingers tangled in her hair, guiding her as she moved her mouth on him, making him groan with every lick of her tongue, every sensation her lips created.
"Hang on, why's there light in the greenhouse? Do you think something's wrong?"
Jean unhanded Lucien and took her mouth off him with an audible 'pop.' She gasped, hearing a voice draw attention to them.
"Alice," Lucien growled in annoyance. He put a strong locking charm on the door just as the handle began to jiggle.
He flicked his wand once more and they heard a sharp yelp outside, followed by the sounds of quick footsteps fading away.
Jean stood up and scolded, "Lucien, what did you do?!"
"Just a static shock. Miss Harvey will be just fine. And I know she's brilliant, but clearly she cannot take a hint." He let out a huff of frustration. "Now then, where were we?"
With a slight giggle, Jean allowed him to wrap her in his strong, muscular arms and begin kissing her again. His hands wandered the expanse of her back, feeling the softness of her skin, trailing down until he lifted her up. She moaned loudly, linking her ankles around his torso. Lucien turned them around, sitting her down on the workbench. Jean hadn't noticed him move the pillow, but she was now comfortably seated on the cushion that was under her knees. He moved his kisses down her body, as she had done for him. Jean arched into him, pulling his face against her breasts. He teased her with his tongue while his hand went to her thighs. Jean spread her legs for him. His thumb immediately began to stroke her, causing her to shudder and moan. He could feel that she was already starting to get wet.
Lucien lifted his head to kiss her lips in rhythm of his finger pumping in and out of her. Eventually, he couldn't resist breaking away from her to bend down and taste her. His nose nuzzled her curls as his tongue lapped between her folds. He grinned against her as she screamed his name. He slipped two fingers inside her, curling them to feel her contract against him, moving her through her climax.
Jean struggled to catch her breath as she watched him suck her juices off his fingers. She grinned as he gave himself a few strokes and lined himself up at her entrance. Jean threw her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her as he swiftly thrust inside her. He groaned at the sensation, burying his face into her shoulder, biting and sucking on her flesh. Jean's fingernails dug into his back as he stroked her to a second orgasm just minutes after her first.
"God, I love you, Lucien," Jean moaned.
Her admission threw him over the edge as he burst inside her. His knees felt weak, but he held her close, kissing her. In his exhaustion, his mouth was messy over hers, but she matched his open-mouthed kisses, stroking his tongue with hers, allowing him to convey his overwhelming love and passion for her.
Once he could breathe and move properly, Lucien cleaned them both up with a few gentlemanly waves of his wand. He helped Jean get dressed and fix her hair as best they could manage. Finally, they vanished the fire and the window coverings. Jean decided to keep the mistletoe for a while.
They left the greenhouse hand in hand, both with giddy grins on their faces. But just outside the castle doors, they were greeted by Headmaster Lawson.
"Professor Beazley, Alice Harvey was quite worried that something was going awry with your plants. She's been trying to find you to tell you about it," the headmaster informed her.
"I thought the castle grounds were off limits during the Yule Ball?" Lucien challenged.
"She's Head Girl. She was patrolling, since there weren't any professors out here chaperoning," Lawson replied pointedly. He sighed, "Christ, how long does it take you, Blake? Jean, he better be making an honest woman of you."
Jean looked at her boss with wide eyes, shocked that the headmaster had caught them. Lucien just glared at Matthew Lawson. After all, Matthew was the only one Lucien had showed his Christmas present for Jean: a diamond and emerald engagement ring.
"Go have another dance, you two. The band's nearly finished, but it'll be good for the students to see you before the night ends," Lawson encouraged with a knowing smile. "Oh, hang on!" He stopped the couple and took his wand out to put a healing charm on the red blotch prominent on Lucien's neck. "Jean, you can give him another tomorrow after the students leave for the holiday tomorrow."
Jean was mortified. But Lucien his his blush as he nodded and took Jean's hand again, leading her back for one final dance.
"What are we going to do? Headmaster Lawson knows!" Jean whispered.
"I have a feeling he won't mind, so long as we're a bit more discreet after the New Year."
"Why after the New Year?"
He smirked. "No more talking, Jean. Just dance with me, my darling," he murmured into her ear as they danced cheek to cheek.