I'll preface this with the statement that I'm not typically a big fan of this pairing. I've seen it well done, and badly done, but when I listen to this song, this little idea pops in and won't leave me alone until this fic gets finished. So, if you're unfamiliar with the song, I'm personally a big fan of the Frank Sinatra/Tommy Dorsey recording, but that probably has to do with my intense love of big band jazz. John Denver has a nice recording if you're not a jazz person, like me. The original music is by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics are by Johnny Burke The AU here- a pureblood high society type, ancient and noble houses, yada yada, that stuff, and no Voldemort! In any event, let's get into it. As a warning, this is my first attempt at a 'songfic,' so I hope I've got the idea down.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the involved works. Music for Polka Dots and Moonbeams is attributed to Jimmy Van Heusen, Lyrics to Johnny Burke, and the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling. This work is considered "transformative" and "non-commercial" under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, and thus, use of the lyrics of "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" is considered Fair Use. :)
A country dance was being held in a garden,
The garden of Potter Manor was beautifully decorated, with lanterns suspended over the patio, shimmering with a faint aura of magic. Witches and wizards spread over the area, some dancing, some chatting, some taking advantage of the wide selection of food. Music floated from somewhere as Harry Potter and his parents made their entrance.
I felt a bump and heard an "Oh, beg your pardon"
Harry was entrenched in a conversation with some of the other heirs, extolling the highlights of the previous year's quidditch matches at Hogwarts. A gentle bump jostled him, and he quickly spun, hearing a murmured apology.
Suddenly I saw polka dots and moonbeams, all around a pug-nosed dream
She wasn't unfamiliar, after all, they were in the same year at school, and their parents traveled in periphery social circles. But, under the floating lanterns and moonlight, shrouded by the vaguest whispers of a slowly dying waltz, Pansy Parkinson seemed to be a completely different person.
The music started and was I the perplexed one,
Harry stared for a moment, meeting defiant eyes, as the sounds of another song began to reverberate. His eyes traveled, noticing small features that were impossible to discern from across the Great Hall. A strange confusion ran through him.
I held my breath and said "May I have the next one?"
He barely recognized his own hand as it reached out to her, asking an age old question. She studied him intently, brown eyes narrowing as they met green. He was enthralled, so much so, that he almost missed it when she took his hand.
In my frightened arms, polka dots and moonbeams, sparkled on a pug-nosed dream
Harry was certain that she could hear the frantic patter of his anxious heartbeat against his ribs. Up close, the way the lanterns and the moonlight played off her sparkling skin was tantalizing and captivating.
There were questions in the eyes of other dancers, as we floated over the floor
They garnered quite a few looks from other partygoers. Pansy's parents, in particular, were astonished to see her hanging off the arm of the Potter heir, while Harry's mother looked quite concerned. James Potter, however, recognized the look in his son's eyes.
There were questions, but my heart knew all the answers
A look passed between father and son as the younger twirled the lady in his arms. The look was a conversation without words, but the Potter men understood the shared feeling. No words were necessary, or even able, to describe what they both felt.
And perhaps a few things more
The two teenagers disappeared from the party within a few songs, and no one took too much notice. Their flushed faces when they reappeared, separately, were taken as a sign of too much excitement in one evening.
Now in a cottage built of lilacs and laughter, I know the meaning of the words "Ever after"
While Harry Potter's life marched on and progressed, graduation came and went, and his career began, his memory frequently floated back to that night. A night that would forever be crystalized in his memory.
And I'll always see polka dots and moonbeams
He could almost feel the pressure of the bodies on the dance floor. See the haze of the mixed lantern and moonlight. Smell the garden's carefully cultivated flowers and shrubbery.
When I kiss the pug-nosed dream
All of these thoughts were interrupted quite suddenly, the feeling of lips on his cheek driving them away. Harry's response was a fond look, turning as Pansy pulled away, returning to her bustling around their breakfast nook. He sighed, and turned back to his newspaper as the record player switched a new song.