Disclaimer: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for disclaimers

Thank you muchly…

Evenstar Elanor… I put you in a happy mood? Made you feel bubbly? Score one for me! (kidding!)

Mercury Gray… This is the second "brilliant" I've gotten on this story. Hope you can see the big, huge grin.

Wyall Jared… I trust "perfect" means I've fully satisfied your wedding craving? We've got the reception for this chapter and then the wedding night, so there is more to come!

Chapter 13: A Grand Celebration

After the ceremony, the wedding party and guests retired to the Great Hall at Hogwart's for the reception. Dumbledore had arranged to have the Great Hall appear smaller, just the right size for the reception, but of course with an expansive dance floor. The dinner was a succulent roast beef with all of the trimmings. There was plenty of food and drink, including Serena's favorite raspberry butter wine.

Dessert consisted of two courses. There was traditional wedding cake. The four tier confection had marzipan roses, ivy and lavender cascading down it. The buttercream frosting was combined with a raspberry jam between each layer. There were also baked apples stuffed with raisins and covered with a sticky, sweet brown sugar sauce.

Between the dinner and desserts, the first strains of a waltz lilted through the room. Severus stood and held his hand out for Serena. They stepped to the empty dance floor and took up their positions. Her left arm was on his shoulder and held high by Severus' right arm. He held her right hand outstretched. Counting the beats of the music he stepped off lightly. They spun around and around the room, pausing every now and then for a waltz pose. The guests all smiled as they watched them dance.

"If you'd bet me a hundred pounds, I would have never believed that Snape could do anything so gracefully," said Lupin as he took another swallow of wine.

Molly Weasley, who had been watching the waltz, didn't hear Lupin. She turned back to her husband and said, "It's just so terribly romantic." She sighed. Arthur heard the longing note in his wife's voice and frowned slightly, but at that moment, Severus and Serena paused in a waltz pose right in front of them. Serena, who was dipped back slightly with her head turned, winked at them and smiled.

After dessert finished, the dance floor opened for everyone to participate. Serena took a turn around the dance floor with Dumbledore, and then the music changed. Some ringing guitars clearly signaled that Tonks had gotten her hands on the play list. Severus frowned. He wasn't overly fond of too much modern music, although some of the bands Serena listened to had begun to grow on him. But there was no way he was dancing to any of this.

"Go on," said Severus, knowing that Serena wanted to keep dancing. Tonks practically carried the bride to the floor with a happy shout. As Severus watched his new wife doing some crazy version of "the twist" with Tonks, Arthur Weasley came to stand next to him.

"Congratulations, Severus," he said.

"Thank you, Arthur," replied Snape.

They were silent for a few minutes. Arthur rocked back and forth on his feet, slowly annoying Snape more and more. It was obvious the man had something on his mind.

"Can I help you?" asked Severus.

"Well, um… I, well, no… actually, yes," mumbled Arthur.

Oh, out with it you complete prat, thought Snape.

"Teach me to dance," Arthur finally blurted out.

"I beg your pardon?" He can't be bloody serious!

"Teach me to dance. My anniversary is coming up and Molly would just be tickled if I could waltz her the way you do with Serena…"

Severus was about to flat out refuse when Dumbledore intervened.

"I think that's wonderful," said Albus. "I know Molly will be surprised. That's quite kind of you to give Arthur lessons, Severus."

Severus glared at Dumbledore and the Headmaster chose to ignore him. "Well," said Severus through gritted teeth, "I'm sure we can work something out."

"Excellent," said Arthur with a wide grin. "Excellent."

Serena glanced at the clock on the wall and couldn't believe how quickly the evening had flown. She had danced the proverbial night away, alternating between classical ballroom with Severus and raucous rock-n-roll with Tonks and Kerry. She and Severus had decided they would leave the reception by midnight. If their guests wished to continue the festivities they were welcome to stay, but the newly married couple wanted to dash off. They would only have the weekend for their honeymoon, since they were waiting until the Yule break at Hogwart's to go on their true honeymoon.

"One more dance," Severus whispered in her ear. "I picked out something special."

As if on cue, the music started and Serena looked up at him. "A tango?" she said. "My but you are bold tonight. This will give them fodder to discuss for weeks!" The intimate nature of the tango, the connection between the bodies, and the sensuous nature of the moves made it a remarkable dance. And when it was danced well, the audience watching would feel as flushed and aroused as the dancers.

"Then let them talk," he said. He pulled her in, pressing Serena's body tightly against his. She leaned her upper body back and circled it, cradled in the curve of his arm, around until she came to be nose to nose with Severus again. She raised her leg and he caught her thigh as he leaned back, stretching her out along the length of his torso and leg. From there, they stepped off into the rest of the dance.

"Oh my goodness," gasped Pomfrey as she watched them. The color rose in her cheeks and she used her hand to fan some air across her face. She wasn't the only one to have a blush creep across their cheeks as the newlyweds tangoed the length of the dance floor and back.

Severus and Serena looked only at each other and Serena felt her own face starting to flush as she moved in such close concert with Severus. It made her even more aware that they hadn't been together for several weeks. The music ended and Serena took a deep breath. If she lived to be 500 years old she would never, ever grow tired of dancing with him.

They were standing next to the door and Severus whispered in her ear, "Shall we take our leave, luv?"

"We shall."

They turned and waved to everyone and the group of guests began to cheer and applaud. Then, unexpectedly, Severus swept Serena off of her feet and carried her out the door to the utter delight of the assembled guests. Standing next to each other, Tonks and Aunt Kerry clinked their wine glasses together, as the bride and groom disappeared into the night. They knew exactly where Serena and Severus were headed and they thought back to their evening together, and the conversation about Serena's latest ill-advised bet with her husband.

"I dinna know if dear Severus will survive the weekend," laughed Kerry, "not after that last dance… But a bet is a bet."

"And it is finally time to collect," squealed Tonks. She started to laugh and then she looked at the wicked grin on Kerry's face and laughed even harder.

Please send a review along… What am I doing well? What could I do better? Hope to hear from you soon!