Chapter Eighty-two
The evening had been almost perfect, Araminta thought to herself as she put as much distance between herself and the closet as she possibly could. The only thing missing had been Harry. As the DJ announced the last dance of the evening, Araminta pulled off her mask and rubbed her eyes gently. She'd sleep like a log after tonight.
"Araminta?" A hand tapped her on the shoulder and Araminta turned around to see a...well, she wasn't sure.
"Harry, is that you?"
The costume nodded.
"Are you...a yeti?" Araminta asked.
She was pleased to hear Harry's deep voice chortle. "No, I'm hairy...just hairy. May I have this dance?"
Araminta let Harry lead her onto the dance floor and she relaxed into his embrace. "Were you, by any chance, dressed as a superhero earlier this evening?"
"Nope. Why?"
Araminta shuddered. That meant she'd let spandexman grope her for nothing. "No reason. Did you have a good time?"
Harry shrugged. "More or less. It's been pretty uneventful. How about you?"
"Uneventful as well," Araminta lied coolly. She smiled and pressed her lips against his neck. "Let's not talk. Let's just dance."
Harry held her closer and they turned slowly like two figurines on top of a music box while the band played Beethoven's piano composition For Elise (they played it in translation).
Araminta sighed. This moment was perfect. Harry's muscular arms were wrapped around her tightly, and his chest rumbled low like a cement mixer as he whispered sweet nothings in her ear. She'd remember this peaceful moment for the rest of her life. Nothing could go wrong now.
The music ground to a halt and Araminta reached for Harry's hand. In a minute the lights would come on again and everyone would look sweaty and tired and not as good as they had a moment ago. She closed her eyes against the change in wattage.
A white-hot flash burned against her eyelids, accompanied by a crack louder than thunder. Araminta blinked, wondering what had happened.
Screams filled the hall. Voldemort aka He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named aka Tom Marvolo Riddle aka Julius Marvolo's grandson had Apparated into the Great Hall.
Araminta knew again that she would remember this night for the rest of her life--but now she wondered if it had been worth committing it to her long-term memory.