Happy Belated Birthday to the awesomely cool Clover Bay! Hope you like this.
Hermione laughed as Ron tried to dirty dance with Angelina. He was thrusting his hips too hard and nearly knocking the drunk woman over. Stumbling a little when the song ended, the couple made it back to their table.
"Another round!" Ginny announced over the loud music. Their drinks popped into existence in front of them. "Whoo!"
"To Ron and Harry!" Bill toasted, raising his glass. They each echoed him, tossing back the burning liquid. "Never thought Little Ronny would make Auror," he said fondly.
Hermione silently seconded that; she was surprised he had managed to pass his final test that afternoon.
"Thanks for the confidence, Bill," Ron slurred with a smile.
"Ladies, ladies," Fred said arriving at the table with a flock of women surrounding him and his twin.
"A little break, please," George continued, dropping onto the stood beside Harry.
"We'll be back soon," Fred promised.
The women wandered off to the other side of the pub, to wait for the twins to return to the dance floor.
"I wish Percy and Charlie could have come," Ron mumbled.
"Ugh, Charlie I understand, but why Percy?": Fred asked, taking a deep pull of his drink.
"Because I want to rub it in his face!" Ron laughed, kissing his girlfriend's cheek.
"Percy told Ron that he should give up Auror training," Angelina explained. "Said he could get him on as his assistant."
"Don't worry about that rubbish, Ron. You passed and you'll make a brilliant Auror," Hermione assured him. And the table toasted it.
"You really believe that?" Bill whispered in her ear.
"Sometimes."
"And the rest of the time?""I just hope that he gets a great partner."
"Aint that the truth." He relaxed back into his chair with a grin, taking a long drink.
Hermione smiled as Harry pulled Ginny close with a move similar to a headlock, to whisper in her ear. The red-head laughed with a snort, blushing slightly, and nodded her head. Leaning heavily on each other, they left to dance.
"Let's go, Ron!" Angelina pulled him to his feet and onto the dance floor.
A blonde in a tiny little skirt sashayed passed, winking at George.
"That's us," Fred announced, following her, George right beside him, leaving Bill and Hermione alone.
She tapped her toes to the beat, smiling as her friends hogged the dance space.
"Hey Hermione," Dean dropped to the seat beside her. "Celebrating?"
"Yeah, Harry and Ron just made full-Auror."
"Wow! That's impressive." He drummed his fingers on the table. "Great song."
"Mhm." She bobbed her head.
"Want to dance?"
"Oh! Um…sure." She glanced at Bill, but he was staring intently at his bottle.
Dean led her by the elbow to a gap between Ron and Harry. He spun around her in wild circled, ducking and twirling. She nearly fell on her face when he zoomed up to her, grabbed her hips, and flung her around.
"Ah! Okay, okay, stop! Please stop." She held tight to his forearms, trying to get her vision back in focus. "That was fun, but I've had too much to drink for it. Sorry, but I'm going back to my seat."
Dean laughed, but walked her back to the full table. With a pat to the shoulder, he went towards a woman standing in a corner.
"Hello Hermione," Terry Boot greeted from her seat.
"Hi. I was sitting there."
"Were you?" He grinned, leaning back.
"Yes." She crossed her arms, trying to look stern.
"Then, by all means, sit down." He patted his leg, smiling at her.
She snorted, but realized that sounded rude. "No thank you."
"Guess you're standing then." He smirked, wiggling his knee.
She narrowed her eyes at him, irritated at his constant chasing of her. The number of times she had told him no…
Large hands circled her waist and pulled her backwards. She glanced over her shoulder to see an up-close, smiling face.
"Thanks Bill." She kissed his scarred cheek.
"You have got to be kidding me," Terry snarled, launching himself from the chair and disappearing into the crowd.
"Wow! Double thanks. I've been trying to get rid of him for months."
"Double thanks, but not double kisses?" he asked quietly.
Hermione turned on his lap, so she could see him better. "Thank you." She kissed his right cheek. "Thank you." She kissed his left cheek.
"You're welcome."
"No kiss?"
He chuckled. "You don't want my kisses."
"But I do." She puffed up her cheek comically and put it beside his lips.
He laughed but held the side of her face while he softly touched his lips to her cheek. She laughed when he squished her face, popping out the air she had been holding.
Hermione eyed her empty seat, but stayed where she was, leaning against Bill's chest. She caught Harry watching her with a raised eyebrow. When she shrugged, he grinned and whispered in Ginny's ear.
"We're dancing," Ginny announced, dragging Harry away.
"Sounds good," Angelina agreed, pulling Ron to his feet.
"Hey! But I was eating," Ron protested.
"Eat later."
"Alone again." Bill sounded amused.
"Hmm…" She nodded. "They sure scattered quick." She nicked a piece of Ron's pizza. "We should dance!"
"What?"
"Let's dance!" She hopped up and grabbed his hand.
"No no no. No dancing. I don't- The lights…" He touched the marks on his face.
"Who cares?" She tugged on his arm but he didn't budge. "Come on, Bill. Please?"
He looked around, grumbling. "I guess." Bill frowned but let her lead him to the dance floor.
At first he was really stiff and kept his head down, afraid of how frightening the flashing lights would make his face. Fleur had really done a number on him when she left. Eventually, however, the sillier Hermione acted, the bolder he became. Until, finally, they were laughing, jumping, and twirling around each other.
The music slowed and she wrapped her arms around his neck, moving in close to his strong body. When he slid hands down her back, Hermione sighed and rested her cheek on his chest.
"Thank you," he whispered, bending down to kiss her cheek softly.
"Any time." She looked up into his eyes and stroked one finger down his cheek.
Stretching up to her toes, she pressed her lips to his, sliding them slowly together. Pulling back, she smiled up at him.
"It's time to go, Angie. I'm so pissed that I'm hallucinating." Ron shook his head.
"What are you on about?" She chuckled.
"I thought I just saw Hermione snogging Bill!" He laughed loudly as Angelina pulled him away.
"Poor Ron," Hermione sighed. "What's he going to think when he sees us snogging tomorrow?"
"We're going to be kissing tomorrow?"
"Of course." She brushed away his doubts with another sweet kiss.
The End.
Thanks for reading, don't forget to review.