Ms. CE – Thank you! I hope you keep reading, keep enjoying and above all keep feeding my ego. *smiles*

Kurtfan – Aww… was that too much stress for you? *eyeing the twitching eye cautiously* Maybe this chapter will make you feel better, I don't see how you could call this ending a cliffie. Fluff, yes, cliffhanger, no.

Shahrezad1 – Yeah, I like Lupin, too. I was tempted to make him a bigger character, but that would have messed with my grand plan. And nothing gets in the way of the grand plan. Lol. Oh, but don't assume Severus is just going to be 'better'. After all, then he wouldn't be the nasty ol' potion master we know and love.

Lenore and Mademoiselle Morte – Read! Enjoy! And find yourself some chocolate and a sweetie and do some, ahem, 'making up'. Like our lead couple, I find it to be quite an enjoyable pastime for these long winter nights…. Heh heh heh.

Chapter 15

Sonora sat in the bedecked Great Hall, amid all the holiday decorations and laughing students and was depressed. Something was wrong with Severus. The feast was delicious, and the teachers were all smiling and munching on plum pudding and variously shaped sugar cookies. But she was stuck poking at her food glumly because the big idiot had walked away from her, had refused to look at her or respond to her. And darn it all, she still had no idea why.

As Remus had escorted her up to the staff room, his eyes had been a little too keen, and his voice a little too gentle for her to pretend he hadn't figured out what was going on. He'd disappeared a little while later, and she hadn't seen him since.

And now, she was sitting here in her seldom-used dress robes, watching the students laugh and chatter at the small tables scattered about the room as they finished their banquet. Dumbledore rose at that moment and somehow managed to make the hall fall silent.

"You have all worked hard this term, and now let me invite you to relax," he said with a smile. With those words, the tables vanished and the Great Hall became cleared as students let loose a cheer. From one corner of the room, music began to play. Sonora didn't know any of the songs but clearly the students did as the dance floor began to fill. She smiled a little, wistfully, knowing that this was as close as she was going to get to the fun.

A few songs later, a large shadow fell over her and Sonora looked up from her seat to see Hagrid beaming at her. "Wondered if you'd give me a dance, Perfessor," he said, looking a little pink.

Sonora gaped for a second and then felt a rush of pleasure beat away her blue mood. "Oh, I'd love to Hagrid!" she exclaimed, forgetting for a moment about her leg, as she went to hop to her feet. She wobbled a little and then remembered. "But I don't know how I'd manage it," she admitted with a sigh, making to sit back down again.

Hagrid reached down and clasped her hand in his huge one. "No worries," he said cheerfully, "I won' let yeh fall." And then before Sonora could take another breath, he was spinning her out into the mass of students and she was laughing.

Hagrid was true to his word and his arm was strong and steady on her weak side. Of course, Hagrid was big enough that she probably could have just had him carry her around, Sonora thought in amusement as they dipped and turned their way around the floor. She recognized student faces as she went by and gave them all a laughing smile as they looked on in cheerful surprise.

She was panting a little as Hagrid deposited her back in her seat. "Thanks," he said, looking like he was going to blush again. "Not a lot o' ladies willin' to take a turn with someone my size."

Sonora tipped her head back to look up into his face and laughed. "Hagrid, you come get me anytime you want a repeat," she told him, and he winked.

"Don't think I won't be back!" he said, before moving off.

Sonora barely had time to catch her breath before a tall redhead with a mischievous smile on his face popped up in front of her. "Professor Stone," he said with a grin.

Sonora gave him an amused look. "Mr. Weasley," she said, not really sure which twin it was and realizing it probably didn't matter.

He grinned bigger. "I'm Fred," he said and then gave an elaborate bow. "Can I ask you to dance?"

Sonora raised one eyebrow, definitely amused at the young man's confidence. "Do you think you can handle me?" she asked dryly.

Mr. Weasley flexed his arms. "Yes ma'am, I do believe I can," he said and held out a hand. Sonora chuckled as she took it and he pulled her to her feet.

"Then lead on," she said.

~~~~~~~

Severus stood in the shadows in the far corner of the Great Hall and watched as Sonora was spun around the dance floor by yet another overly happy-looking male. This time it was Professor Flitwick, who came up to her shoulder, but still seemed to be cheerfully helping her keep her balance. He'd watched her dance with students and teachers alike and as the song ended, watched again as she was returned to her chair on one side of the room.

This time it was Dumbledore who approached her, his long white beard glistening against dress robes that seemed to shift colors in the light. Severus vaguely noted that the fabric seemed to have shooting stars flying about it. He watched from his dark place as Sonora smiled softly at the Headmaster and accepted his hand up.

This song was much slower than the others that had played so far, and Severus had ample time to let his eyes drift over Sonora's slim form, clad in robes of a rich burgundy. The color seemed to make the pale gold of her skin shimmer even more than usual, and he found himself picturing her letting her hair loose to cascade in a dark waterfall down over the silk.

Dumbledore was saying something, he noticed and Sonora was looking up intently, those wonderful dark eyes of hers catching the light of all the candles in the room. He wished himself out there on that dance floor, holding her and watching her eyes light and soften for him. Then he clenched his fist. He couldn't risk her like that. He wasn't even sure he should have come upstairs in the first place.

Severus pulled back farther into the dark corner. It was where he belonged, on the side, in the dark. And she… she belonged out there, in the middle of that joy and laughter with light sparkling in her hair and eyes.

And then Dumbledore leaned down and kissed her cheek and let her go, and Severus watched, confused as Sonora turned to limp away. The song wasn't over, it had barely begun, and she was leaving? And then he realized she was making straight for him.

His heart seemed to catch in his chest as he watched her come toward him, all alone in the back, as she seemed to bring the light with her. He wondered that the rest of the room didn't notice how she shone and glimmered among all the other people. How could they miss it?

His hands were clenched and his breathing fast by the time she stopped in front of him. She looked up with those clear dark eyes and he fell again. "Hi," she said, simply.

Severus just stared down at her, seeing the warmth, the softness that was only ever there when she looked at him. God, how could he turn away from this? He was afraid if he did, there would be nothing left in his world for him to return to. Nothing to keep him from becoming swallowed by the dark he was forced to dwell in.

She smiled at him, with just a hint of uncertainty, and held out one slim hand. "Come with me?" she asked. Without any thought, Severus put his hand in hers and only after jerked his head up to see if anyone was watching. His eyes met Dumbledore's from clear across the room, and he would have sworn the old man winked at him.

Sonora was tugging on his hand and he followed her, led like a tame lamb, out onto a nearby balcony. The cold night air nipped at them as their breath hung in clouds of white vapor. The music from the Ball drifted out to float around them.

She stopped and turned to look up at him. Looking down, Severus realized that she was nervous. "Dance with me?" she asked, eyes gazing up at him, full of hope and light.

Severus swallowed his groan of need and instead reached for her. She came so easily, so willingly into his arms that it hurt his heart as she nestled against him. Slowly, making sure he bore most of her weight, they began to move, swaying to the slow pulse of the music. Their bodies melded and Severus could feel his heart pound in his chest. He closed his eyes, afraid to look and see that it was a dream.

The music finally came to a close, but they stood there in the cold a while longer. Sonora seemed reluctant to let him go and Severus had no desire to move. Finally, he realized she had to be cold, wearing only those silk dress robes, and truth be told, the chill was seeping through his own clothes.

Reluctantly, he eased back. Reaching down, he tipped her chin up to his. "Thank you for the dance," he said softly.

She gave him that wonderful smile again. "Thank you for dancing with me," she said. She flushed a little, and her eyes fell to his chin. "I know you were upset about something earlier, and I was a little afraid…"

"Sonora," he interrupted, not willing to let her beat herself up over something that was his problem to take care of. "You said yourself, I'm a moody old crank."

Her smile flashed in the dark of the balcony. "I don't know if I used those words," she said.

He chuckled a little before becoming serious again. "I am. I am not a terribly nice person, and some people will not hesitate to tell you, I am a horrible excuse of a man." She thumped his chest in frustration and he chuckled again, touched by her refusal to see him as the rest of the world did. "But I promise you," he said, voice dropping. "I promise you, I will never hurt you, not if it is at all in my power to prevent it."

As he watched, her eyes glimmered in the cold starlight and then a single shimmering tear slipped down her cheek. "No one has every said something so beautiful to me," she whispered and then shook her head. "And I promise you, Severus. I promise you the same thing."

Holding her as if she were a treasure of delicate crystal, he bent his head and brushed his lips over hers, feeling the fires light inside him and hunger start to burn. But he had another task tonight.

Easing back, he slipped one hand into his pocket and pulled out a long chain. "I have something for you," he said quietly. Her eyes widened as he held it up. The crystal vial was strung through the slender gold chain, and the contents glowed faintly rose.

"What is it?" she asked, staring.

He pressed his lips together and shook his head as he carefully slipped the long chain over her neck. Now wasn't the time to tell her. Maybe someday, maybe if the dark was ever beaten back… "Just something," he finally said. "I'll explain it another time. I just want you to promise me that you'll always wear it."

Her eyes filled with tears again, and she sniffed. A rather unromantic sound, but one that still made his heart beat. "I won't take it off," she promised. "It's beautiful."

He looked down at the vial, lying against the curve of her breasts and shook his head. "No. You're beautiful," he said huskily, and then lifted the vial and slipped it under her robes, where it could no longer be seen. He let one hand slip down to lie over her heart, feeling it beat beneath his palm.

And then he took a deep breath. "I… am going to go roust students out of abandoned classrooms," he said, taking a step back. "You should go back in."

Sonora stood where she was and smiled at him. A smile that made his heart pound and his head spin. "I love you, Severus," she said softly.

The world stopped turning in that moment and he stared at her. Not believing what he'd heard. She smiled at him again, and took those few steps toward him as he stood frozen. She stretched up and pressed a kiss to his numb lips. "I'll see you later," she said with a quiet smile that lit the night with its glow. And then she was gone.

Severus stood there in the cold and dark for another long minute before his breath came back to him. She loved him. Loved him. He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to get a handle on himself. Well, he thought with a touch of humor, that ruled out his plan to ease her out of his life. He knew Sonora well enough to realize that there was no way she would go now.

And that made him take a deep breath. He would just have to find a way to keep her safe, he thought.

With that, he shook off the romance of the silent stars and distant music and forced himself to turn back inside. He had students to berate, and work to do before he could let himself go in Sonora's arms.