Chapter 20

For Eponine's first impression of a wedding she didn't think much of it. It was just that bit too long, but she could see their happiness so she felt that cutting it short would be cruel. There was a slight stabbing from the remains of her unrequited love but she was glad that it wasn't as strong as it used to be. But it stung a little all the same seeing Cosette and Marius be unified as one. But she kept it inside of her, trying to ignore it and focus on other things.

Once the ceremony was over they moved to another room, with a big long table on the far side by the high arched windows and a large space in the middle which would be for dancing after they ate. Everyone took their places, Cosette and Marius at the head of the table, their families closest to them and then the small group of guests. She noted that everyone from the café was there, along with some ladies they had brought with them as partners.

Eponine took her seat in between Joly and Combeferre, each of them with a female companion on the other side. She noted that everyone had brought someone with them, spare her and Enjolras.

"You look very pretty Eponine," Joly said to her once the food had been laid out in front of them.

"Thank you Joly," she smiled at him noting how his 'friend' gave her a strange look.

"Hello, I'm Muscheitta," she introduced herself still eying her warily.

"Eponine," she replied nodding a little.

Muscheitta was pretty, not in the way Cosette was with her angelic graces. Her hair was a dark red that looked almost brown and it curled at the ends falling down her back, her face had a faint brown tint to it with splatters of freckles and she looked rather tall even when she was sat down. She didn't emit any friendliness but she didn't come across as mean either.

"I take it you know the happy couple," she said almost accusingly.

"Umm yes, I'm their…friend," she stumbled over her words feeling rather ashamed for some unknown reason. Musichetta nodded acknowledging that she understood before turning away to eat.

Eponine followed suit starting to eat the food quietly, watching the conversation around her as she ate. The food was rich, richer than anything she had ever eaten. It must have been expensive, the taste exploded in her mouth, ricocheting off her tongue making her senses relax. She closed her eyes letting herself revel in the sensation.

She looked on as Cosette and Marius talked as though no one else was in the vast room, their hands only parting to use their knife and fork, their eyes only leaving the others to look at their plates. There was a faint pounding in her head as she watched them; it grew stronger until it was so strong that she had to look away. It would end soon she told herself, it had to, it would, she couldn't hurt like this for much longer.

Forcing herself to turn her attention to the other people around the table. Most were eating and talking casually, some congratulating to couple. She was surprised to find all her friends with partners seeing as they hadn't mentioned anything about them to her before.

There was a little flurry of movement, as Eponine snapped her head to see Cosette and Marius rising from the table and heading into the middle of the room. A band entered the room and began to strum up a tune, a slow one that was easy to dance to. Marius took Cosette in his arms and Eponine had to bit the inside of her mouth to stop from crying out. They began to dance and Eponine knew she should look away, but she couldn't. Something kept her eyes transfixed on them, but it only hurt her.

More couples took to the floor after the first song ended and was replaced with a slightly faster one. Soon the floor was awash with people moving all the same time, dancing gracefully like they were floating. She spied Grantaire clumsily stepping on the feet of his partner making Eponine giggle to herself, and Joly and Musichetta dancing on the far side of the room, their tall statures towering above everyone else gliding smoothly. Then in the centre of it all was Cosette and Marius, only swaying softly looking at each like the dancing couples were nothing but ghosts.

XXX

Enjolras was not one for dancing. His parents had made him learn it in his adolescence, insisting that if any girl would want to marry him he must be able to dance, not realising that he wasn't bothered by this threat. But it was still a pretty sight as the room filled with dancing. Grantaire had teased him earlier telling him that without a lady he would have no one to dance with, thinking it would embarrass him but of course it didn't. Then as they had entered the room they were in now he had pointed out that Eponine also didn't have anyone to dance with, and though it shouldn't have this embarrassed him a little. So it gave him some spiteful pleasure to see Grantaire dancing rather sloppily, an effect of alcohol no doubt.

But it was true, Eponine and him were the only two people left sitting. But she looked rather occupied watching the people dance, she looked wistfully on at the scene and he couldn't quite tell if she wanted to dance or whether she was content at the moment. Enjolras certainly didn't want to dance, he wasn't used to looking like a fool but he couldn't help but feel bad for the way Eponine was watching everyone. The day had to be hard enough already and no one else could ask her to dance so maybe he just had to.

Sighing a little, he got up a walked to stand beside her chair.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked a little awkwardly. She looked up at him surprised but a smile grew on her face.

"I don't know how," she said her face falling a little.

"It's not that hard," he said holding out his hand for her to take. Tentatively she took it in her own and stood up to her full height.

Feeling a light blush creep onto his cheekbones he led her to the edge of the dance floor. She stood frozen clearly unsure of what to do. So, rather exasperatedly one might add, he placed one hand on her waist and used his other hand to grab her hand and turn her to face him. She narrowed her eyes at him, a little frustrated at him for being…firm with her.

"Put your hand on my shoulder," he said, straightening up slightly. Shooting him an annoyed glance she obliged as he began to move in time to the music. He tried to focus on dancing but it was very hard to ignore the fire that burn where their hands connected with each other.

Soon the look of irritation was gone from her face as she bit her lip in concentration looking down at her feet clearly desperate not to stand on his.

"Chin up," he said letting go of her hand and tilting her head back towards his. She scowled again but only briefly, as Enjolras spun her around partly as that was how the dance went and partly to stop her from scowling. When she turned to face him again she looked a little dizzy but he proceeded in leading her around the room.

XXX

Eponine was taken aback at Enjolras' kind offer; she only hoped that it wasn't out of pity, as things usually were with her. But there was the small problem of her not knowing how to dance, properly that was.

"It's not that hard," he assured her, but it didn't put her at ease. Regardless she let him lead her onto the dance floor as they began to dance to the timing of the music.

Eponine was sure that her face would be the very picture of concentration on account of her trying so hard not to tread on his toes.

"Chin up," he said in a monotone as he pushed her chin up so that she was looking in the direction of his own face. She made a face at him; she didn't need him to tell her what to do. But he caught her off guard as he spun her around, releasing her for just a moment before recapturing her in his hands.

Her mind was spinning a bit but not enough so that she didn't feel the small sparks that seemed to be igniting from their fingertips. Why was her heart racing? Why could she feel her cheeks turning red? Snap out of it, she told herself furiously.

"Did you finish the book I gave you?" Enjolras asked breaking the silence that Eponine was drowning in.

"Not yet, it's hard to read, but I am enjoying it," she replied smiling a little. It's true she had yet to finish the book due to work and not having much spare time but she was enjoying it, "Thank you again."

"It's not a problem 'Ponine,"

"You just called me 'Ponine," she said unable to stop herself.

"Yes I suppose I did," he said clearly not thinking much of it.

"You never call me 'Ponine!" she exclaimed, shocked that someone as observant as he was seemed to be missing the point.

"I don't?" he asked frowning at her.

"No you don't," she laughed a little. Just then Eponine felt herself fall out of step a little, making her trip and collided with his tall stature, all while he stood on her foot which was far smaller than his. Great she thought, just as everything was going fine she had to mess it up.

"Are you alright?" he asked, stopping moving entirely. There was a throbbing in her foot where his had, to put it bluntly, crushed hers.

"Yeah I'm fine," she said even though when she put weight on her foot she wobbled so violently that he had to hold her up by her arm.

"Come on," he led her away from the thinning crowd and sat her back down at the table, where some couples were milling around, "Sorry about your foot."

"No it was my fault, I was the one who fell into you," she mumbled feeling a little sheepish.

"You see I told you Enjolras, your dancing skills are lethal," Grantaire stumbled up to the two of them dragging along a rather disgruntled looking woman behind him. Enjolras just shot him a cold stare that made him recoil slightly. Once Grantaire had walked away and out of the room altogether Enjolras looked back at her.

"Thank you for dancing with me anyway," she said gratefully wincing a little as she placed her foot on the floor delicately, "Even if it was out of pity."

She added the comment not to spite him but because that was her version of the truth. He had only danced with her because he felt bad that no one had come with her and he hadn't brought anyone. Not that it was any big surprise; everyone knew that he was only interested in justice and freedom.

XXX

Enjolras was a little stunned at her comment, and the honesty that she spoke it with. Maybe his first intentions had been something of that nature, but really, even though it pained him to admit it, he just wanted to dance with her.

He glanced around but found that everyone else was absorbed in their own conversations.

"It wasn't out of pity," he said indignantly.

"Then why?" she threw her hands up into the air as though at a loss of what his intentions could have been. He leaned in so she was the only one that could hear him.

"Maybe I just wanted to dance with you," he said quietly looking at his shoes rather than at her. He could feel his face turning pink so he excused himself hastily.

He couldn't believe he'd actually said that? What on earth was wrong with him? He hadn't been drinking, no, so what was it? He would explain later that all he meant was that he wanted to dance with his friend. What was so wrong with that?