Han glanced around the crowded hall without knowing what it was that he was feeling compelled to search for. He took another sip of brandy and caught sight of Leia. His stomach lurched a little bit when he realized she was dancing with Luke.Luke managed to miss every single beat of the music, and, if the pained look on Leia's face was a proper indication, he'd stepped on both of her feet more than once. The piece ended, but Luke didn't seem ready to stop dancing. Han left his drink and went over to the pair.

00

Leia plastered on a smile as Luke laughed nervously. He was a decorated war hero now, and an experienced pilot, but his upbringing as a farmer on an Outer Rim Planet was showing through. Painfully so, at times. She'd have bruises on her toes for weeks. The song stopped and she was about ready to ask Luke if they could sit for a few moments when Captain Solo appeared.

"Move over, kid, you've stepped on Her Highness enough." She inwardly rolled her eyes. Leia seriously doubted that anyone could be a worse dancer than Luke Skywalker, but if anyone could, it would be the smuggler.

He held her close, but not too close, and gave her his typical cocky smile. The band began an Alderaanian Tango, which she'd seen danced hundreds of times before. It was a dance of love, and her parents had danced it at every ball they held. The significance of dancing it with Captain Solo wasn't lost on her. She was shocked that someone as… uncouth… as Han Solo would be able to dance with such skill.

"Thank you for… rescuing me," She said when Luke was out of earshot.

"The kid can hit a two-meter target in an X-wing but he couldn't dance to save the Rebellion." Always with the jokes.

Han was actually quite handsome, though Leia would never admit to thinking such a thing. He wasn't wearing his normal grease-stained shirt and bloodstriped pants, but a tux shirt with tiny black buttons down his chest and a starched collar. Missing, however, from the ensemble was a jacket. Not surprising, she thought to herself. She couldn't bring herself to care, however, as they spun quickly and she tightened her arm around him, feeling his muscles beneath the thin shirt.

Leia had danced with many men before, but Captain Solo was much stronger than any of them had ever been, and held her slightly more… possessively than they ever had. Leia nearly choked when she realized she liked being held by him.

"You look lovely, tonight, Your Highness," He told her. There wasn't a hint of sarcasm or teasing in his voice.

"Thank you." She felt herself blush. Maybe he wasn't all too uncivilized. She was almost happy when he didn't relinquish his hold at the end of the piece, raising his eyebrows as a silent invitation for another dance. Then, the next piece started. It was a waltz often played at Alderaanian balls. Her father had taught it to her before her first ball, and it had been their song at every one thereafter. This was the first time she'd heard it since… "Please, I'd like to sit down." He looked slightly disappointed but led her, by a hand still placed possessively at her waist, to a table just off the dance floor. Luke hurried over with two glasses.

"Champagne?" He offered her a glass of amber liquid that sparkled as brilliantly as the shimmers on her dress. She was inwardly glad she'd chosen to wear this formal gown instead of opting for her more conservative Senate dress, though she wasn't sure she wanted to confront the reasoning for the feeling just yet.

"Thank you." She turned to Han. There was a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked up and found General Rieekan, possibly the only other human alive who would understand the significance of the piece. He offered her a handkerchief when a tear slipped down her cheek, which she accepted.

"Your father would be so proud of you, Lelila." He whispered into her ear before going back to his own evening. She took a healthy sip of champagne.

"Han, where did you learn that dance?"

"I don't know. Picked it up somewhere, I guess. Have a good night, you two." He left them sipping their champagne.

He cut an attractive figure in that suit, she had to admit. She wondered if he'd misplaced the jacket and was met by a wave of jealousy that she quickly squashed. Even through the fabric of the shirt, she could see the muscular outline of his back and shoulders and she could almost feel his arms around her again.

"Don't you think so, Leia?" She turned to Luke, brought out of her thoughts by the sound of her name. He'd obviously been speaking to her since Han's sudden departure, but she'd been so enamored by the sight of his retreating figure in that shirt and those pants…She'd not heard a single word of what Luke had to say.

"Is it warm in here?" Leia asked, ignoring Luke's question.

"A little, maybe. Leia, are you alright?" Was she alright? She wanted to say 'yes, of course everything is alright,' but there seemed to be something in her head blocking transmission of all logical thought.

Before Luke could ask for another dance, Leia stood and wished him goodnight. She found Rieekan along the wall, watching the couples still littering the dance floor.

"You seemed awfully comfortable with Solo out there during the tango." Rieekan teased. Leia rolled her eyes.

"Momentary lapse in judgement."

"Do you think he knows?"

"Probably not. And you don't have to tell him." She added quickly.

"Your secret is safe with me." He chuckled, giving her a one-armed hug.

"I'm going to turn in."

"Solo just headed to his ship, if you were wondering."

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Carlist. That is behavior unbecoming an officer." She argued playfully back.

"Sleep well, Lelila." He smiled at her, a smile that reminded her a great deal of her father's.

She left the hall and walked back up to her quarters. Leia shook her head. All of this nonsense about Han needed to stop. Still, she couldn't get the feeling of his warm arms around her out of her head. It was going to be a long war at this rate. A very long war, indeed.

00

Han left her with Luke, sipping champagne. There was no way he was going to tell her that C3PO had taught him the dance that morning, a marked achievement for a droid who couldn't take anything but precise steps forward and backward and a smuggler who couldn't stand his annoying voice. Somewhere, deep inside, Han was finding feelings for Leia, and they weren't just friendly feelings, either. He was suddenly filled with the overwhelming sense that he was in way over his head. On his way back to the Falcon, he grabbed a few bottles of expensive whiskey. With any luck, those feelings, and a fair amount of liquor, would be gone by morning.

AN:Thank you to my beta, Reading Writing Watching. Please R&R-I LOVE REVIEWS!

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