A/N: Thanks to all our reviewers! Here's the next chapter. Courtship begins, smoothly for Bill and Pagan, but with Severus Snape can anything ever be easy? Remember to please review when you read!
Chapter 5
Dauphina and Snape stepped from the rather plush carriage that had stopped outside the aging theater. Snape held his arm to the young woman, who still wore her Gothic style robes dyed the very color of a maiden's blushing cheek. She accepted the help and waited as Severus spoke to the driver. He gave her a strange look when she looped her arm with his, in the traditional manner of a true archaic lady.
They moved to the box office where Snape purchased two tickets to the well-known play. With the Black home soon to be empty and the looming fact that being seen on Diagon Alley could prove disastrous, the two had decided to see Dauphina's favorite play; Macbeth.
Although he was no fan of theater, he agreed to take his lovely charge to the performance out of sheer desperation. For some strange reason, the thought of her sister and young Mr. Weasley going out made her giddy. She'd been trying her damnedest to get the brooding man to blush all day long and it was starting to wear him down.
Once they were led to their seats and given programs, Dauphina turned to her black clothed companion. Somewhere deep inside, Snape flinched. It had been an hour since her last "comment" so he was sure this one was going to hurt.
"So, Severus? How long has it been since you've had a real date?" She asked, her face a mask of innocence. Surprised, he replied coolly, "I do not believe that is any of your concern, Ms. Lestrange."
He was busy watching the stage, so he missed the mischievous flash in the young woman's eyes. She waited until he'd taken a rather long swig from the drink he'd ordered before saying, "How long has it been since you shared your bed?"
That got the response she'd been waiting for. Snape spit his beverage all over the couple in front of him. His face turned pink as he gazed about wondering if anyone else had heard her rather brash question.
"Dauphina!" He scolded. She simply batted her long eyelashes at him, feigning a look of wide-eyed innocence and turned back to her program.
"That long, eh?" She continued, not looking up from the thin playbook.
Snape looked away as the curtain rose. It was going to be a long night.
Bill waited in the foyer for his "date". Pagan had spent most of the day settling in and unpacking after bidding her elder sister goodbye. The farewell had been heartbreaking; filled with fierce hugs and quiet sobs. He'd learned that in their twenty-four years, the sisters had never been separated. He knew it was hard for them, Pagan cried for the better part of an hour before heading upstairs to settle in. He had not known what to do or say. He'd simply sat beside her, holding her hand as she cried. She'd called down an hour ago to say she'd be ready soon.
The illustrious Bill Weasley had taken Dauphina aside and asked if her sister enjoyed Muggle rock music. When she told him Pagan was hopelessly addicted to it, he carefully planned out an evening to remember. He was nothing if not creative.
First they would have a lavish meal at one of London most popular Muggle eateries. He'd been to the pub quite a few times and knew it was the most enjoyed pub for London's youth. Then he would take her on a quick tour of the sights. Finally, his favorite band was in concert and he'd managed to get tickets in the 4th row. As he went over his plans, standing in the foyer, he heard the voice of his date from the stairs.
"Ready?" She asked simply. Bill looked up and gulped. The gothic dress she'd greeted him the first time in and the loose sundress she'd worn that afternoon had not done her justice.
Her long auburn hair cascaded down her back, straight as a board. Her supple body wrapped in a tight black tank top and extremely low cut denim jeans that Bill wondered how the hell she'd gotten in to. On her feet were heeled boots of shiny black leather. He stared at her, his mouth involuntarily hanging open.
"Well, you sure know how to make a girl blush, Mr. Weasley." She told him, running a hand through her long hair.
"Wow." Bill finally managed to spit out, not taking his eyes from her. She raised a scarred eyebrow. "Bill, I'm up here." She chided, her eyes dancing with laughter.
He managed to open the front door as she slid on a long leather coat. She thanked him and headed for the driveway. Bill smirked as she asked where the car was. He motioned to the motorcycle parked in front of them and handed her a black helmet. She stared at him in shock, but strapped the helmet to her head before sliding onto the bike behind him.
"A motorcycle? What would your mother think?" She chided playfully. Bill smiled as he turned the bike on. "I had to get your arms around me somehow." He retorted. She giggled and wrapped her arms about his waist, holding her body close to his. Bill's breath caught in his throat but he kicked up the kickstand and sped away, amazed how a woman he'd only known a few hours could make his heart flutter so much.
Severus Snape had been trying to regain his composure throughout the entire first half of Macbeth and he finally found a way to get her back. Dauphina causally took his arm as they walked onto the crowded sidewalk for some fresh air. He listened in silence to her flighty repartee, smiling inwardly and not feeling the slightest bit ashamed for what he was about to do.
Dauphina was completely unaware of Snape's inner thoughts, which was a very good thing considering the lewd ideas that had been running rampant in his mind since he'd seen her rather low cut bodice earlier that day. He took a deep breath and moved closer to his companion, close enough to smell the scent of her jasmine inspired perfume. She stopped talking as he neared, her breath coming in fast gasps.
Meaningfully, he stared at the ample cleavage spilling from the plunging neckline of her gown and moved a hand to toy with her bodice string; which he now noticed was undone a few extra notches. He looked back up into her brown eyes. "Is that for me, my dear?" his deep whisper speaking volumes.
Instantly, Dauphina wanted to rage at him. She wanted to tell him he was not lucky enough to catch a woman such as herself. She wanted to bat his hand away and break his fingers. She really wanted to whip out her ebony wand and turn him into a toad or salamander.
Instead, however, she quietly moved his hand aside, her face turning a shade of crimson never before seen. She was angrier than she could even remember being as she met his eyes again. When she saw the hint of laughter in them, she only became more enraged.
"Professor Snape, if I wanted to 'entice' you, I'd be much more forthright. But that is beside the fact." She dropped her voice to a dangerous whisper, the softness of her voice meant for only his ears as she moved closer still to the dark man. "The FACT is, I would never want to draw the attention of such a slimy, underhanded and rude whelp such as yourself."
She turned on her heel, pulling the hem of her skirt up so she could storm back into the theater. Snape followed slowly, chuckling inwardly.
Pagan allowed Bill to wrap an arm around her waist as they made their way through throngs of muggles to where they'd parked his bike. It had certainly been a night to remember. First, that fantastic pub where they eaten and even danced a bit. Then, a tour of the city's many tourist attractions, which Bill regaled her with stories of each monument. And to cap it off, a rock concert performed by one of her favorite bands.
Over the course of the evening, Pagan had allowed Bill closer and closer to her. He'd progressed from his hand on the small of her back to holding hands and finally he had his arms wrapped about her. She moved closer to him, folding his body into her arms as they walked. Bill responded with a kiss atop her head. She sighed happily and Bill smiled.
They rode back to the house, lingering for a few moments on the bike, talking about their night. Bill found he was in a state of total rapture when it came to the red headed witch. He saw in her eyes that she was falling for him as well.
"When you find her, Bill, you'll know. It may take a few seconds or a few hours, but you'll know." His mother, Molly, had told him once. He knew there was something about Pagan. He knew without a doubt that she was the one for him.
Slowly, he moved closer to her, her voice faltering. She closed her eyes and moved her lips to his. Bill was suddenly glad he was still straddling the bike, for his knees became jelly.
Pagan wrapped her arms around him; he quickly followed suit, pulling her closer to him and running his hands through her long hair. They stayed that way until the clock struck midnight.