Professor Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank looked across the hall, searching for the most interesting person in the room. Past the fluttering Beauxbatons delegates, past the weedy Durmstrang headmaster, all she wanted was to see a glimpse of the one who made her heart beat faster.
Ah.
Nervously dancing an ungainly quickstep with Professor Moody, quietly resplendent in ochre robes, was the woman in question. Never flashy but always a presence, Aurora Sinistra was a force to be reckoned with.
Watching Alastor Moody doing his best to trample all over his partner's feet was grating on her so Wilhelmina hastened over as the song finished, tapping her on the shoulder to request a somewhat gentler turn.
'May I have this dance?'
Professor Sinistra smiled radiantly and glided into her arms as they flew across the room in a graceful waltz, putting other couples to shame. Catching Dumbledore's mischievious eye, Wilhelmina puffed out her chest and beamed, secure in her happy place, secure in the discreet wink from McGonagall. As stimulating as working with magical animals was, all the nifflers, unicorns and grindylows in the world were no competition for Aurora's attention. Wilhelmina knew she was no oil painting, her chin too prominent, her hair too severe and her sturdy tweeds were old fashioned, but she liked it that way, even down to the pipe she smoked, her dearly departed father's very own. She made quite the contrast to Professor Sinistra with her secretive hooded eyed, usually to be found sedately attired in glimmering olive green, dark delicate hands manicured and graceful when handling the telescope of her trade. Wilhelmina loved those hands. Her own were rough from enthusiastic toil but Aurora never minded. For a few short terms in the past few years, their living arrangements at Hogwarts were cosy and secluded. The students never knew the true nature of their acquaintance and they liked it that way.
'Darling' murmured Professor Grubbly Plank as they waltzed past the giantess, the wizard and the boy with a scar on his face, all a blur in the light.
'My love' was the softly returning answer.
They waltzed their way out of the door, through the corridors of Hogwarts, waltzing in tune to the beat of the heart. For what is love without the heart?