A/N: Another chapter, hooray! This is one of my absolute FAVOURITE chapters I've written so far, and I promise you that there's more Severus than ever before! :D
"Let's dance
Put on your red shoes and dance the blues
Let's dance
To the song they're playin' on the radio
Let's sway
While color lights up your face
Let's sway
Sway through the crowd to an empty space
If you say run
I'll run with you
And if you say hide
We'll hide
Because my love for you
Would break my heart in two
If you should fall into my arms
And tremble like a flower
Let's dance
Let's dance
For fear your grace should fall
Let's dance
For fear tonight is all
Let's sway
You could look into my eyes
Let's sway
Under the moonlight, this serious moonlight"
Let's dance – David Bowie
It was Saturday, 10 AM, and everyone seemed to be hanging around in the Great Hall, which surprises me. I myself stroll inside rather tiredly, burying my hands in the pockets of my pink oversized sweater. Yawning, I sit down at my usual spot, in between George and Fred.
"Hello, sunshine!" They say in unison, making me mutter a tired 'morning' back. Fred pulls my hoodie up so it covers my hair, whilst Ron slides a plate filled with bacon and eggs over to me.
"Thanks, Ron. You know what's good." I say with a grateful smile, then happily start my breakfast.
"You know it, Ali." He hums in agreement, returning to his own plate that's even fuller.
"You have cat ears on your hoodie! That's so adorable." Hermione notes, making me throw her a smile.
"Thanks, Hermione!" I mutter in between two bites.
"I think they're silly." George teases, flicking his fingers against one ear.
"I think they're rather special. I like it." Luna notes, happening to walk past us. I turn around to look up at her, beaming at the compliment.
"Thanks, Luna!"
"I would wear it myself if I had a sweater like that." She adds with that dreamy look of hers.
"If you want, we'll go get you one during Christmas break or something?" I offer, the smile that follows on her face making it totally worth it.
"I would very much like that." She decides, skipping off to God-knows-where.
"She's weird." Ron mumbles, making me frown at him.
"I like her." I state firmly, ending the conversation. Harry flashes me a smile at that, making me smile back. I knew he defended Luna as well, the sweet kid trying his best to be kind to her.
These past weeks had passed by in a blur. My extra lessons with Snape had continued and after a few awkward minutes, both of us remembering what happened the last time I was there, everything had returned to its normal business. Thanks to him, I got a lot better at Potions really fast, helping me improve to the point where I was finally able to follow along with the others in my class. I'd spent a lot of my time studying with Hermione and Viktor or with Harry when I wanted to give those two their privacy. I'd also spent quite some time with Niklaus, playing wizard chess (which I absolutely sucked at) or listening to music together. We stayed inside nowadays, for it had become too cold to hang out at our usual spot by the lake. Mostly, we hung around the fireplace in Durmstrang's ship, often being joined by Viktor and other friends they knew. So far, I was really enjoying my life.
"So, can anyone tell me why everyone's gathered here?" I ask after I finish my breakfast, taking a sip from my cup of chocolate milk.
"Snape's coming out of the closet!" George shouts jokingly, making multiple students at our table laugh loudly. I glance over to the teacher's table, seeing Snape who totally heard that, judging by the scowl that's on his face.
"Such a shame!" I exclaim even louder, faking a desperate sigh, causing the boys to make gagging noises. Snape throws me a scowl, making me grin before mouthing 'sorry'. He shakes his head, but leaves me be, returning to his breakfast, so a triumphant look reappears on my face.
"I still don't understand why he lets you get away with stuff like that." Harry mutters, locking eyes with me.
"Me neither, but let's be glad he does." I answer, winking at him. Harry laughs at it, returning to his food with a smile. I liked Harry. He wasn't really that much of a talker, seeming permanently lost in his own thoughts, but sometimes he could surprise me.
"So, can anyone actually answer my question? Why is everyone gathered here?" I resume, genuinely curious.
"Something about the Yule Ball!" Parvati answers from a few seats further, sounding excited.
"A ball? That's so 18th century." I mock, rolling my eyes playfully.
"It's so romantic!" She argues, sighing dreamily.
"Hermione, don't tell me your smart brain agrees with this." I ask, raising an eyebrow at the curly haired girl in front of me.
"Theoretically, no, but it does have a certain aesthetic like in romance novels." She admits, giving me a guilty smile.
"Ah, romance novels, my very own guilty pleasure." I answer, giving her a guilty smile.
"You? You like romance novels?" Ron asks, nearly choking on his food.
"Hell yeah! A knight in shining armour to save the damsel in distress… I love it." I admit, grinning widely.
"I never would've guessed… our Ali, reading sappy novels!" George exclaims, shaking his head with laughter.
"A girl has her secrets…" I say, sharing a knowing look with Hermione, who's grinning at me.
"Attention!" Dumbledore speaks up, making everyone turn silent straight away.
"With the Tri-Wizard Tournament comes the Yule Ball! To those of you who've never heard of such a thing: the Yule Ball is a Ball that's held to celebrate the chosen champions, and, of course, to have fun and enjoy yourselves. Students from the fourth year and above are allowed to attend, as are younger students who are invited by one of the older students. We encourage mixing with the other schools, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, for this ball is held for them as well!"
Whispers follow, filling the air with excitement. I raise an eyebrow, not very impressed yet. Alright, a ball was fancy, but from my experience, it was also very, very boring. I couldn't count how many times I'd been bored to death at a ball my parents had to attend and took me along. Often, Draco had been sitting right next to me, sighing out of boredom until we escaped our parents' eyes and went to play outside, or discover the mansion we were in. I smile at the memory.
"With the Yule Ball also comes the annual dance that all students have to participate in. This is why after breakfast, you will all be attending dance lessons that will be taught by your Head of House." Dumbledore adds, making me look up in surprise. McGonagall had a certain elegance that told me she might be an excellent dancer, but this also meant…
"Snape is going to teach Slytherin how to dance?!" The twins exclaim, making me turn to look at the teacher's table in surprise. Like he senses my eyes staring at him, Snape locks eyes with me, making me raise my eyebrows in surprise, snickering when he looks very displeased.
"Beauxbatons will be joining Ravenclaw, and Durmstrang will be joining Slytherin, as will Miss Leroy." Everyone turns to stare at me, and I'm confused myself, so I just shrug.
"Who knows? You might have to dance with Snape!" Fred snickers at his own words, grinning at me.
"I'd rather dance with Snape than having you step on my toes the entire time, Fred." I tease, making my table laugh.
"You're all dismissed, get to your Common Room as fast as you can, and make sure to have a lot of fun!" Dumbledore concludes, making everyone clap. I get up from my table, making my way through the crowd until I reach Slytherin's table. Niklaus is the first one I see, so I just walk over to him.
"Ali! Why don't you sit down?" He offers, making room for me. I smile, flattered when he offers his hand to help me sit down, not that I really needed it, but still. Niklaus could be such a gentleman and it never ceased to amaze me.
"Hey, Niklaus." I say once I'm seated, finding myself surprisingly close to him. He smiles, reaching out to push a stray lock of my hair behind my ear, making me smile at the gesture.
"So, I heard you'll be dancing with us. I can't say I mind that." He admits, a charming look on his face.
"You don't even know if I'm any good, though. Who knows, I might crush your feet!" I argue, giving him a light nudge with my shoulder.
"I highly doubt you can't dance, since Snape asked for you specifically to assist him in teaching these kids here how to do it." Niklaus answers smugly, raising an eyebrow.
"He did?" I ask, shocked.
"Yeah. Headmaster Karkarov told us that he overheard him arguing with Dumbledore, saying he didn't want to teach the Slytherins how to dance. Igor said that you were the best dancer he'd ever seen, and when Dumbledore suggested you could assist Snape, he agreed… reluctantly, but he agreed." Niklaus says, smirking.
"Slytherin and Durmstrang, I expect you to be in the Common Room in exactly 15 minutes." Snape's voice snarls over the noise of students talking excitedly about the announcement, making everyone get up as quickly as they can. I follow Niklaus when he helps me stand up, taking my hand to lead me through the crowd. I'm a bit surprised by the action, but don't complain, rather enjoying the feeling of his hand holding mine. It's larger than mine, but he's got elegant, long fingers. He's gentle but certain as he leads me and weaves through the other students. Soon enough, we've reached the dungeons, the wall that hides the entrance already open.
"Here, it's just down the steps, you gotta watch your head." Niklaus says, leading the way down the stairs. He clearly forgot that I'm a good head shorter than him, which means I have no problem with the ceiling whatsoever. When we reach the bottom of the stairs, we enter Slytherin's Common Room. Apparently, it's positioned underneath the lake, the large green tinted windows revealing an underwater scenery. That's so cool! There are all different kinds of seats and sofas that have been pushed against the walls, creating a lot of room in the middle so there can be danced. The Slytherins and Durmstrang boys are scattered across the room.
A lot of the Slytherins who notice my arrival stare at me in confusion, whereas the Durmstrang boys motion for Niklaus and I to join them, which we do. Draco throws me a smile, making me grin back, although I'm growing a tad nervous. Viktor joins us, sitting down next to me as well, wrapping an arm around my shoulder to give me a comforting squeeze. Before he can say anything, however, the doors to the common room close, Snape being the last person to walk inside, robes billowing behind him intimidatingly. His attire is a bit different than usual, though, the robes seeming more fit to be moving around a lot. Everyone turns silent, knowing not to anger him.
"As you all know now, the Yule Ball is being held soon. To my own immense pleasure, I am the one who has to teach you nitwits how to dance. Now, even though I'm particularly unhappy with this and despite me having better things to do, I still expect you will make our House and school proud. As for Durmstrang, I suppose the same thing applies to you, although your Headmaster had some more pressing matters to attend to." Snape says, scowling. I only barely manage to hold back my laughter. Knowing Igor, he was off charming witches and drinking Firewhiskey at Hogsmeade. The boys seem to groan inwardly at the thought of having to dance, whereas the girls seem rather excited. I also notice that Snape's a lot less mean towards the Slytherins, more so serious and stern. When silence falls, he scans the crowd, his gaze soon falling upon me.
"Miss Leroy, you will assist me and will figure as my dance partner. Do you think you can do that?" He asks, raising an eyebrow at me.
"Yes, Sir." I say, making sure my voice doesn't waver. If he thought I was good enough to assist him, I could at least try to do it as best as I could. I mean, my Mother had sent me on lots of dancing classes when I was younger and I knew that I wasn't the worst, but that had been a long time ago. It wasn't like I waltzed in my free time just for fun. He nods approvingly.
"In that case, we can begin." He says, taking a look around the room to make sure everyone's paying attention. Even if they weren't before, they surely are now, knowing a Gryffindor out of all people has to show them how it's done. He walks towards me and I freeze up, nerves striking me, and I'm suddenly unable to tear my eyes away from him.
"Dancing isn't just moving your feet in a certain pattern. Boys, you have to make the girl who's your partner feel like she is a queen, and you shall treat her like one too. Your task is to make her shine, not to shine yourself. She is the centre of your attention from the moment you ask her for a dance." He speaks, everyone hanging onto his every word. All I can do is stare into those dark eyes.
"May I have this dance, Miss Leroy?" He asks, halting in front of me, offering his hand. I swallow harshly, then carefully place my hand in his, pushing down my nerves. He helps me up swiftly, leading me towards the centre of the room. With a flick of his wand, music starts to play.
"You'll have to step closer for this to work, Miss Leroy." He says after pausing for a moment. Someone snickers, and Snape glares at the person that's seated behind me, effectively shutting him up. I focus on the classical music that floats into the room. I hesitate for a second, then take a step closer. He takes my right hand in his and gently puts the other hand on my waist, making my stomach turn. I nearly choke on my own tongue when he pulls me closer, our bodies now touching.
"Are you okay?" He asks, and I look up at him before nodding, afraid that my voice will tremble if I say something. He stares at me for a moment, the tiniest of smiles appearing on his face, and I wonder exactly how good he is at this.
"On my count. One, two, and-" He leads, before swiftly moving. I follow his lead, allowing his strong arms to lead me in the right directions, my feet automatically following. Right now, I'm really grateful for those dance classes, because Snape truly is a formidable partner. It doesn't take me long to remember the steps, for I had always enjoyed the classes, and I relax slightly, trying to enjoy this instead of freaking out because of Snape. Dancing. With me. Deep breaths, Ali, deep breaths.
I look up, locking eyes with him, and a tiny smile appears on my face, growing slightly more comfortable. When he lifts his hand, the other letting me go to twirl me around, I do as I'm told, elegantly spinning around. Some students clap at that, making my smile grow bigger. Snape pulls me back in his arms, then dips me over his arm slowly. I hear gasps as I close my eyes and trust him fully, allowing him to bend me over his arm until my hair grazes the floor, bending my knee so my leg's at 90 degrees like it's supposed to. His hands, one grabbing the back of my knee, the other underneath my back, are the only thing that keeps me from falling like a rock, and I open my eyes. Students gasp, his dark eyes meet mine, and then he lifts me back up quickly, continuing our waltz with ease. I take a deep breath. He's by far the best dance partner I've ever had, telling me what to do with only his touch, no words needed between us. For what feels like eternity, I let myself be spun around and dance how he wants me to dance, focusing on him and him only. When the song comes to an end, he grabs my waist with both hands, lifts me up and spins me around in the air, before slowly letting me slide down against his body, his hands leading me down confidently, until I'm standing on my tip toes, my nose nearly touching his. The music stops, students start to clap and cheer, and I have to shake myself awake, lost in his dark eyes for a moment.
"Now it's up to you." Snape says, making everyone get up, quickly finding a partner.
"Thank you for the dance, Professor." I say politely, bowing my head at him. He does the same, locking eyes with me once more.
"I don't regret asking for your assistance." He states, surprising me. Then, he walks away from me, and I remain where I am, frozen in place. Weird. Did he just compliment my dancing? Anyways, Niklaus is by my side in no time, claiming it's his turn now. I smile at it.
"Don't you dare step on my toes, Niklaus." I warn him playfully, making him chuckle.
"It seems like you've forgotten that I'm the Bulgarian Prince. I've been following dance lessons from the moment I could walk." He says with a smug look on his face. Ah, yes, I totally forgot about that part.
"Let's see if you can keep up with me, then." I say with a grin, stepping closer to him. Niklaus puts a hand on my waist, the other taking my hand in his, and we begin to dance. It's surprisingly comfortable to be this close to him, and I no longer have the nerves I had when I danced with Snape. Niklaus is a great dancer, relaxed in his leading, occasionally twirling me around but not showing off too much, which I appreciate. I'm having a lot of fun, laughing about the things he says to me.
"Ali?" He eventually asks, turning more serious.
"Yeah?" I ask, looking up into his blue eyes.
"I-I was wondering if you'd like to have a picnic with me tomorrow?" He asks, seeming slightly nervous.
"You mean, like a lunch date?" I ask, surprised.
"Y-Yeah, I mean, only if you want to…"
"Of course! Sounds nice." I say, giving him a grin. He smiles at that, and the song comes to an end.
"Great! Meet me at our spot from last time at 12?" He suggests, and I nod, making him grin.
"I look forward to it." I say with a smile, then let go of him.
"Ali! My turn." Draco appears next to me, and I chuckle when he takes me into his arms and we start dancing.
"How have you been?" I ask, smiling up at him.
"Good, you?" He asks, glancing down at me for a moment before twirling me around.
"Yeah. We haven't hung out in a while." I answer when I'm back in position.
"You seem rather busy already without me bugging you to hang out. Thought I'd give you some space." Draco answers with a shrug.
"You're my friend, Draco. I'm never too busy for you." He smiles at that.
"I'm glad, you know. Still, I wouldn't want your boyfriend to get jealous." He adds a wink to the last part.
"Who?" I ask, laughing.
"The Prince, of course. He was looking very sour when you were dancing with Snape." He answers with a smirk.
"Really? Well, we're just friends I guess. He did ask me out to a picnic tomorrow." I muse, moving to the beat.
"He's definitely into you, Ali. Anyone can see that. Question is, do you like him too?" Draco states, giving me a pointed look before spinning me around once more.
"I don't know, Draco. He's really nice to me and funny, but I hardly see him here already. Plus, it would never work long term, considering he's the prince of freaking Romania and we'd be studying far away from each other." I ramble, shrugging at the end.
"But you've considered it. Otherwise you wouldn't have that answer ready for me." He argues, raising an eyebrow at me. I fall silent at that. That sly bastard.
"Just have a little fun, Ali. You can always figure out what to do later." He offers, giving me a smile. I nod at that, allowing him to twirl me around one last time before the music stops, and he lets go of me.
"Ali." Before I know what's going on, Vik pulls me into his strong hold, leaving Draco behind with a smile on his face.
"Please don't tell me you're going to talk to me about Niklaus as well." I say with a sigh, allowing him to pull me close nonetheless.
"Oh, no. He already talks my ears off about you enough. I wanted to ask you for help." He assures me, making me perk up curiously.
"What do you need my help for?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at him. My curiosity only grows bigger when I see the nervousness in his eyes.
"Hermione… is she seeing someone?"
"Hermione?" I ask, surprised when he nods.
"Well, no. Do you like her?!" I ask, a grin spreading on my face rapidly.
"She's pretty, and very smart. We've talked at the library a couple of times. So yes. I… want to ask her to be my date for the Yule Ball."
"Vik, that's great! She's a great girl, God, she deserves a good guy like you to ask her for the ball! Shit, you want my help to ask her? This explains why she was your person to get out of the lake!" He pulls a face at my excited rambling, so I stop.
"Can you please help? I have no clue what to do." He asks, desperately.
"Sure thing! You can count me in, Vik."
