Author's Note: Another season 3 AU. Another Bonnie in a dress prompt. Again if you want to see the dress I had in mind visit this drabble at thebennettdiaries.

A Snapshot in Time

Klonnie: Ballroom dancing

Taken at face value, this is an incredibly stupid idea.

Going to the Mikaelson ball.

However, if you actually consider the situation, accepting the invitation gives you the perfect opportunity to see the enemy up close and on home turf.

Or at least that is Bonnie's reasoning.

It has taken her a few days to come around to that way of thinking too. When the envelope appears on her doorstep her first instinct is to burn it. But then she second guesses herself and wonders if this is her chance to peak behind the curtain sort of speak.

Her friends have the same idea.

Elena shows up at her house an hour after Bonnie relents out loud. She has Caroline and Damon's credit card in tow. They have to leave Mystic Falls to actually find dresses worth wearing and truthfully, it seems like a perfect excuse for some girl time (even if the end result is forced bonding time with The First Family of Fang).

Caroline decides that since Damon is paying she is going to find the most expensive thing in the store (a passive aggressive payback that Bonnie approves of). Elena is more practical, wondering which dress will be easiest to run in should things turn sour (but Bonnie knows she is eyeing a gold pile of poof in the corner).

Bonnie…well, at first she is a little lost. She really hasn't had much of a chance to go to things like this — the idea of dressing up is foreign to her. She walks through the rows of gorgeous gowns, running her hand along silk and taffeta. In the end, it is the color that gets her. A deep burgundy. She chews on her lip for a moment and then decides there is no harm to trying it on.

When she emerges a few moments later with the dress settled around her curves both Elena and Caroline stop what they are doing and stare. She feels immediately uncomfortable. "Is it too much?"

"No," Caroline breathes.

"It's perfect," Elena agrees.

She turns to look at herself in the mirror and is surprised how quickly that out of place feeling disappears. Elena is right: it's perfect.

Bonnie still feels that way the following evening when she slips into it. She doesn't even think how silly it looks to outsiders — her standing in her room among the reminders of just how young she is while looking completely the opposite. She simply smooths her hands down the dress and thinks that she can take on anything that the Mikaelson family throws at her.

(she might second guess that notion later because what they throw at her, she is not expecting)

It has been decided beforehand that there is safety in numbers so she arrives with Elena (on Stefan's arm) and Caroline (on Matt's). Damon had offered to escort her through the doors so she wouldn't feel like a fifth wheel but she easily shoots him down. She is still riding high on whatever courage this dress has endowed her with.

The invitation said ball and that is exactly the sight she is greeted with. She eyes the sea of dresses (and is proud that no one else has one quite like hers), men in tuxes and roving trays of champagne. She makes a face, thinking that if this whole thing is a ruse to take them all out it is a rather expensive master plan.

Caroline can't help but admire the little details (reminding everyone that she will one day be an event planner extraordinaire). Stefan seems on edge (understandable) and Elena keeps having to lift the edge of her heavy gown to avoid tripping over it.

When she is offered a glass of champagne, Bonnie temporary forgets their safety in numbers rule and wanders away. She smiles as she recognizes familiar faces decked out in the best. Everyone seems to be having a good time (and now she thinks this is not so much a master plan of death as much as it is a way to kiss up to the good folks of Mystic Falls).

She is just thinking that she has not seen any trace of their hosts when they appear on the grand staircase, fanned out like some version of modern royalty. Esther speaks (and for the first time, Bonnie feels anger; this woman usedher). There is talk of mending fences and new beginnings but Bonnie doesn't believe a word of it (how easily she becomes firmly Team Master Plan once more).

Realizing she has strayed from her friends, Bonnie turns to find them. Only her path is blocked. Klaus stands there, tall and proud with a grin on his face that batters at her courage. For a moment it feels like everyone (and the noise they make) fade away. It is just him and her — and she is back in that clearing in the woods ready to destroy him.

He laughs.

"What is that saying?" He drawls. "If looks could kill…"

Bonnie takes a deep breath, squares her shoulders and wishes it were that simple. She wonders where her friends are but refuses to take her eyes off him.

Klaus clucks his tongue. "Now, now, Bonnie love, if I was going to bring harm to you I would hardly do it in a room full of witnesses. It would be something far more…intimate."

Would anyone think it out of place if she sets him on fire?

Bonnie decides that if she is not in any immediate threat there is no reason to stand there listening to him. She takes a step to the side. He mimics it. She repeats her actions. So does he. Finally she turns on her heels intent on finding another escape route.

There he is.

She huffs, showing her impatience. "What do you want?"

"It's simple really," Klaus begins. "A dance."

It is the last thing she has been expecting to hear and she knows her face shows that. "A dance?" She repeats, only she sounds incredulous.

He nods his head. Then bows slightly. "Can I have this dance?"

"No," Bonnie says immediately.

He raises a brow. "It is rather rude to refuse the host."

Bonnie shrugs and she can feel the dress ruffle with the movement (there is that courage again). "I'd apologize but we have already established that I am rude."

Klaus laughs.

She moves to leave him once more. He moves right along with her. Her annoyance grows. "I have already said no," she points out. "Go ask someone else."

Klaus considers it a moment as he falls in step with her. "I could," he agrees. "But I do not take kindly to refusal. I am also never one to back down to a challenge."

Is that what she is to him? A challenge? She would prefer invisible. "So you are just going to be my shadow…"

"I am just going to accompany you…" he corrects. "…until you agree to a dance."

She sees Caroline now. Her friend is looking at them with wide eyes as her hand grabs blindly for Elena. The cavalry has been alerted and they will come storming in, no doubt upping the ante for the amused hybrid. Bonnie knows there is only one play to avoid a fight breaking out. She stops in her tracks, prays time moves at double speed and then turns to face him. "Okay, I'll dance with you."

Klaus makes a face. She knows he thinks it is too easy. He glances over her shoulder. Then shakes his head. "You would do anything for your friends wouldn't you?"

She should curse herself for revealing her weakness but then again she figures that one is apparent. There is no hiding it at this point. Instead she gathers the fabric of her dress and returns the bow he had given her moments before.

Klaus outstretches his hand and she only hesitates a second before taking it. He leads (of course) and soon they are among the couples on the dance floor. For a brief moment she has no idea where to put her free hand (and she feels like the teenager she is). His lands on the small of her back, fingers splaying out. She swallows as she brings her hand up to rest stiffly on his shoulder. It takes her a minute to find the rhythm of the dance but soon enough she is moving with him. Her eyes are elsewhere however, landing on her stunned group of friends. She tries her best to send a message: I'm fine; stay out of it.

He uses the hand on her back to pull her closer still and that is enough to turn her attention fully to him. He has a look of triumph and she swears his fingers are burning through her dress. "I did not think you would come."

"I almost didn't," she admits truthfully and then wishes she hadn't.

"I had a very elaborate scheme planned had you not shown but then you went and spoiled it by showing up," Klaus tells her and then spins her away from him before she questions just what he had up his sleeve (she is probably better off not knowing).

When he pulls her back to him, her back is pressed against his stomach. His hand lands on her hip in an almost possessive manner. "Ah well, you look absolutely ravishing by the way." His voice is right in her ear and she shivers. His fingers curl tighter around her hipbone.

"What do you want?" She asks.

"A dance," he reminds her.

"It's more than that," she counters. It always is.

"Of course," he confirms. "But for now, let's pretend it isn't."