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Chapter 8- Dancing with Faeries
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Trying to avoid gagging from the cloying scent permeating the tower room, Luna blinked misty eyes that were a by-product of her roiling stomach. Why the professor had to keep the classroom, which resembled a twee tea shop, so warm and smelly was beyond her.
Swaying slightly in an overstuffed chair, she gazed blearily at her classmates as they peered into their teacups. Luna was not a firm believer in Divination. She had observed Professor Trelawney 'see' things in a tea cup, crystal ball, palm, or astrological chart that had never come to pass too many times to count.
She frowned, thinking of times the scatterbrained woman had predicted Harry's death. Thankfully, none of the grisly predictions had come true. Although she was sceptic, however, that didn't mean she was going to announce it to the class. People still snickered over Trelawney's prediction that Hermione Granger's most passionate relationship would be with a book. Luna had no desire to be told her destined mate was a Crumple-Horned Snorkack...or that her future lover would land them on the front page of the Quibbler. Of course, if that lover happened to be the boy who lived...
Shrugging off scrummy fancies, she peered into her teacup. Luna narrowed her eyes as if she really believed her fate could be decided by an arrangement of soggy leaves. The girls at her table were peering into their cups avidly. They were roommates and the closest she came to having friends. The three girls were nicknamed the 'Indies' because of their names. Mindy MacDougal, Bindy Brocklehurst and Cindy Cornfoot, blondes of various shades and hair lengths, had declared Luna an honorary 'Indy'. They called her 'Lindy' much to her outward indifference and inward satisfaction.
Cindy was shaking her pale curls excitedly. "Oh, oh, oh...I see a circle!" Her breathy voice snagged the attention of several boys who would be happy to make her sign of 'love' a reality.
"Merlin, a cross." Mindy swept back her shoulder length strawberry-blonde hair and impishly sang a few words from a Muggle song she listened to at home, about being in Trouble.
"Botheration...bloody mermaid again." Bindy's round face under a sandy fringe was set with frustration. "That must mean something ruinous to my diet will be served at dinner."
Over their shoulders, the professor said, "Excellent work, girls. You're really focusing what little talent you possess to embrace the totality of Tasseomancy." She pointed. "What of you, Ms. Lovegood? My Inner Eye senses something of great import waiting to be discovered at the bottom of your cup, surprising as that may seem."
Luna stretched her stiff lips into a smile. Trelawney really knew how to get in her little digs. Suddenly, the sympathy she had felt for the woman over last year's events evaporated along with any trace of mistiness. Her eyes were dry as her tone. "Well, if you really think so, professor, perhaps you should read my leaves." A sinking feeling overwhelmed the girl as soon as the words left her lips.
Magnified eyes behind oversized glasses lit up in elation. "Oh my heavens...oh how rare...listen up class...pay close attention. Ms. Lovegood has a," Trelawney drew in a breath to announce thrillingly, "guitar in her cup." Smiling coyly, the dotty witch trilled, "Romance in the future for you, Ms. Lovegood...any idea who the lucky boy will be?"
Giggles, snorts, and snickers filled air reeking due to an unfortunate combination of scents. Clutching her stomach, Luna gasped, "I think I'm going to be sick. May I be excused?"
The professor hurried to open the trapdoor and waved the nauseous looking girl down the ladder. "Yes, yes, go on...and don't forget your essay on Tasseomancy and the Warlock Convention of 1289!"
Once she was able to gulp uncontaminated air, Luna felt much better. Debating whether to go get something from the mediwitch anyway, she heard a concerned voice say, "The Divination classroom strikes again, I see. Come along, you'll be right as rain in no time." Professor Lorelei swept past and clearly expected her to follow.
Intrigued by the new professor, she obligingly trailed along, studying the woman's profile. The professor taught first through third years History of Magic and Potions, so the girl never had the opportunity to talk with her before. Lorelei was very attractive. Sometimes, when Luna had no other romantic dramas to watch unfold around the Hall, she would observe the staff table to see if anything interesting was happening there. There had been a definite pattern of sideways glances between Lorelei and Snape.
Recently, the student had intercepted a covert exchange so heated; she had been forced to eat an enormous bowl of double chocolate chip ice cream to cool off. How remarkable meal times were these days! Reaching the professor's office, Luna was engrossed by the yellow washed walls and cushy furniture festooned with little Scottie dogs and cherries.
"Noticed my interest in the Muggle artist Mary Engelbreit, I see. Have a seat and I'll get a Nauseous No More Potion out of my drawer. I always have a supply on hand. Specimen jars...no need to elaborate."
Drinking a viscous fluid the exact same shade of the cherries painted on the professor's desk, Luna met Professor Lorelei's midnight gaze and said, "I feel fine now. Thanks. This may sound strange, but...have we met before?"
The other woman smiled. Luna could see why Snape was sending the professor scorching glances, but why the professor thought Snape desirable...
"No, not officially. You did seem to sense my presence on the train." A dark brow rose in question.
"Yes." On the train to Hogwarts, Luna had felt someone looking into her compartment, but there had been no one visible in the corridor. Obviously, the woman had been wearing an Invisibility Cloak. Lucky you, getting to sit with Harry...
Turning her thoughts firmly away from the enticing daydream of sitting by Harry, she stared in disbelief. Had the professor just asked if she'd like to join a group of students on a jaunt into the Forbidden Forest tonight?
"Yes, Ms. Lovegood. Several students serving detention will be helping me pick a unique variety of Zalvzianskya Capensis tonight. I believe you are acquainted with Ms. Zabini, Mr. Boot, Mr. Malfoy, and Ms. Weasley. Mr. Potter kindly volunteered to help. I am awarding twenty-five house points for willing participation."
"You mean, we're going to pick faery phlox? We're going to see an actual faery ring? Harry too?" At the professor's nod, she blurted, "Wait...you said Ginny has detention tonight? When did she get detention?"
Gazing over to a clock in the shape of a Scottie dog, Professor Lorelei answered with an enigmatic half smile, "Oh, I'd say in another two hours and four or five minutes. I'm substituting for Professor Snape in his afternoon classes. He's indisposed."
Another two hours...did that mean Lorelei was going to give Ginny detention on purpose? How...how...wonderful. Luna agreed to meet the group at the side entrance nearest the forest after dinner. Smiling happily, she waved goodbye to the professor who had started grading papers. Twirling a long strand of hair as she walked toward the main corridor, a strange refrain played itself over and over in her mind.
Matchmaking and faeries and Harry...Oh my!
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Flouncing into the Great Hall, Ginny refused to even glance toward the Slytherin table. She was very much afraid that if she saw a certain blond Adonis smirking, she would take her wand and...
"Are you going to sit down, Gin? You look rather mental staring off muttering that way. Ouch! What'd I do now, Hermione?"
"You're an insensitive boor, Ronald. Can't you see your sister is upset?"
Ron immediately asked what was wrong and offered her a goblet of cold pumpkin juice. Ginny was amused to see him blush when Hermione nodded approvingly. Taking a sip, she complained to everyone in the vicinity, "I thought having Lorelei substitute for Snape would be the best, but..." She looked away, biting off an imprecation that would get her more detention.
"We had Professor Lorelei too, and she was...amazing..." Temper subsiding, Ginny laughed with the others at Neville's sincere words. His round face turned pink. Quickly applying the third law of thermodynamics, he transferred the heat to the boys laughing at his innocent admiration. "Harry and Ron think so too. I've heard them say how nice Lorelei is and what was that word you guys used? Oh yeah, fit."
"Fit!" Something Hermione looked ready to throw any moment now. Light brown eyes narrowed dangerously. "Is that what you said, Ronald Weasley?"
"Wasn't me, was Harry who said that, honest 'Mione! He even volunteered to help pick some daft flowers in the forest tonight 'cause she smiled at him, isn't that so, Harry?"
All eyes turned to the boy closing his eyes. He opened them and admitted, "Yeah, you blabbermouth, but I'm earning twenty-five house points for helping. The others are going as part of their detention."
"I'm one of them...the detention group." Ginny's bitterness drew gasps and questions.
"No!"
"What happened?"
"What'd you do?"
Ignoring the boys, Ginny answered Hermione's question, "She told me that I earned detention because I was about to add three drops of hellebore instead of two for the Draught of Peace, and I needed to learn to be more careful."
"Crikey! Harry did the same thing and she just smiled at him!"
"She did correct me, Ron."
"So? Why didn't she give Ginny the same treatment? Admit it, Harry, you're teacher's ickle pet."
Ginny reluctantly smiled over the awkwardness of Harry's position. He was chuffed that Lorelei liked him but embarrassed that he was earning house points while Ginny had detention. She noticed Colin looking toward the staff table. He caught her eye and smiled. "Both Snape and Lorelei's chairs are empty. Maybe detention will be called off."
"I'm never that lucky," she muttered darkly, before topping off her pity party with a peek over at the Slytherin table.
Malfoy was eating his dinner with exquisite manners. No decent boy ate that nicely. It was creepy. He smiled at something Zabini was saying. A real smile, that relaxed his face into breathtaking—he looked up and met her gaze. How did he do that? Was it some Slytherin skill, always knowing when someone was staring at you, entranced by you?
Flipping her hair back in a gesture that caused the horrid boy to laugh enticingly, Ginny kept her attention on the conversation at her table and refused to look at that snake, or think about his warm lips on her skin, or daydream about the two of them, walking under a moonlit sky through the Forbidden Forest. Really, she wasn't going to spend another second on that.
"Gin, I'm concerned about this habit you've developed. Talking to oneself is not a good thing."
Creevey's blue eyes were round with suppressed mirth. He looked worried not one iota. Huffily, Ginny retorted, "You'd go round the twist, too, if you had detention with Zabini and Malfoy tonight. Merlin knows what they'll get up to in the forest."
"I wish I could come along. Do you think if I went round to Lorelei's office...?" He broke off when Ginny shook her head.
"Sorry, Colin, the professor told me she only needed six students and I was the last."
Harry broke in to ask, "Who're the others, then?"
"Hello, Harry," Luna said from behind them. She smiled, fingering a silver mandrake pendant. "I just wanted to come by and tell you how much I'm looking forward to picking faery phlox tonight. Isn't it interesting how two students from three of the four houses are going? Terry Boot and I, you and Ginny, and Blaise and Draco…. I guess Hufflepuffs are so well balanced that they don't need...whatever." Waggling her fingers goodbye, Luna drifted out of the Hall.
Hermione said excitedly, "Faery phlox is a relative of night phlox, which I read grows in delicate clusters of white flowers. Folklore states that if seven supplicants encircle a faery ring in the moonlight, the faeries will allow the invisible flowers to burst into sight like a display of fireworks." Visibly controlling envy, she concluded, "The flowers keep their honey and vanilla fragrance even when picked and are useful in several potions."
"If you want, we could go watch from the Astronomy Tower, Hermione."
Ron's offer caused the girl to forget her disgruntlement. "You want to go to the Astronomy Tower, with me?"
He shrugged. "Sure. You think we'll be able to look into the forest and see that faery ring, don't you?"
Hermione nodded, even though everyone but Ron knew bloody well that it was impossible to see any such thing due to the impenetrability of the magical forest. The girl agreed to go to the Tower directly after dinner. She didn't even mention bringing homework along.
Ron, if you can't see that you and Hermione are meant to be after this—I am owling Fred and George and declaring war, brother dear.
Finishing her dinner, Ginny rose from the table and walked toward the side entrance with Harry. She could sense...no, see...Malfoy and Zabini strolling behind them. Remembering Luna's mentioning of Terry's coming along on the outing, her spirits unaccountably lifted. She looked forward to seeing a real faery ring.
Ginny smilingly quoted for Harry a quote she'd read in Muggle Studies, "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, Quite overcanopied with the luscious woodbine."
After admitting she couldn't remember the rest of Shakespeare's words, she listened in astonishment to a smooth drawl finish the citation.
"With sweet musk-roses, and with eglantine: There sleeps Titania sometime of the night, Lulled in these flowers with dances and delight."
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What possessed him to spout Muggle drivel, Draco was sure he didn't know. Unless it was to see the admiration on Blaise's face. She hugged his arm in that effusive way of hers and complimented, "Gorgeous and a genius. You make me sad for mere mortals, you Slytherin god."
Merlin, act the Black Knight once, and ever afterwards silly wenches painted everything you did with a rosy glow. Why hadn't he thought of doing that sooner?
"Am I a mere mortal, Blaise?" Boot asked as he walked up.
Ha! Jealous, Terry-Boy? What's the matter? Don't like hearing your girl compliment the bloke who hexed your girly-hair? Better watch your step in the forest. You might just run into something...unpleasant...out there in the dark.
Zabini, the fickle bird, hugged Draco's arm once more before taking herself off to hold Boot's hand. Weasley smirked up a storm over that before smiling at Perfect Potter, hero of the Wizarding world. Was she getting a thrill being so close to her crush of second year?
Honestly, that Potter infatuation had been a transparent rebound from her rejection by him. If he'd shown up that night in the trophy room, the girl would have written that miserable excuse of a Valentine poem to a different boy. With a Malfoy as inspiration, she wouldn't have been forced to use pickled toads and blackboards for her exercise in humiliation.
Determined to do the school a favour and prevent such a perversion of poetry from happening again, he sauntered up to walk beside the girl he secretly called Freckles.
Poor pickled toad-eyed Potty, he looked about as happy as Terry-Boy. Potter didn't like being ignored the moment someone better came along, but Draco was doing him a favour, really, and anyways—was it his fault girls found him irresistible?
Maybe he shouldn't gloat so openly, but he was a Malfoy. Gloating was one of the things Malfoys did best. He smirked. Perhaps he'd get a chance to show little Red what the big bad Draco could do even better in some secluded part of the forest.
"Have you ever seen a faery?"
Ginny's question was given a moment's consideration. "No, but my mother has. She told me 'Listen to the wind rustle...it reminds us a faery is near.'
"Right."
Red ignored Potty's rude comment to reply, "'If you watch all nature's things, you might just see a faery's wing.' That's what my mum always says."
"'By mortal eye unseen, they hie, from many an airy realm'...someone named Florence Harrison said that, although Daddy claims he said it first."
Loony Lovegood had floated up to walk by Potty. They were the perfect couple…Loony and Potty…hilarious! Draco unconsciously paused with Ginny to let the pair walk ahead and followed with Blaise and Terry bringing up the rear.
What a bizarre group they were. The only redeeming feature was the lack of Hufflepuffs, who would be trying to organise a sing-a-long by now. Rolling his eyes over orphan-boy's explaining he had grown up with Muggles who refused to believe in anything as frivolous as faeries, Draco glanced at the suspiciously quiet girl by his side. "Do you really think we're going to see faeries?" Why that had slithered out of his mouth was another mystery to add to the growing list.
"I hope so, although Mum always told us that they hide at the sound of human feet."
Were they actually having a civil conversation, a Malfoy and a Weasley? He stopped on the side entrance steps and looked up at the darkened sky. Amazingly, it showed no sign of falling.
"Where you believe there is magic, you will find it." Professor Lorelei had a velvety dark voice that matched her long black dress and cloak.
Draco's open admiration earned him an elbow in the side from Weasley.
The woman continued, "Faeries love Glamour, pun intended. The troop we're about to visit are part of the Seelie court, which has been described as 'a host of light and benevolence riding on the night air.' They are friendly, but it is better to be safe than sorry. Legends about eating faery food and stepping into faery rings have grains of truth, I'm afraid."
Holding up a small jar, Lorelei pushed back the hair she had let down, presumably for the faeries, and cautioned, "Pass this about and carefully rub some on one another's eyelids."
"Is it faery ointment?" asked Luna. "My father ran a series on the correct ingredients and what happens to wizards who don't have it to help them see things as they really are when faeries use their Glamour."
"I hope our forest friends wouldn't treat us so unkindly, Miss Lovegood, but rest assured that this mixture of four leaf clovers and...other things...will protect you."
"As will I."
Headmaster Dumbledore joined the group, bright eyes twinkling in mischievous glee over the students' surprise. Draco almost had faery ointment placed into his left eye instead onto its lid when he opened his eyes in shock.
"Close your eyes, Malfoy."
Draco glared at Ginny's imperious tone before complying. Her fingertips felt soft as butterfly wings. He immediately grimaced at the fanciful thought.
There had better not be any frolicking with bloody faeries, because I'm not dancing with Weaselette for all the gold in Gringotts. Unless we had to…. I mean, if Dumbledore and Lorelei order us to because the faeries demand it or some tosh—no, not even then, even if I stay on detention for the entire year...unless….
"Your turn to do me, Malfoy."
Had she really said that? The blush highlighting every freckle assured him that she had, and now regretted handing him such an opportunity for retaliation.
Deciding to do the unexpected, Draco ignored the entendre and calmly took the jar, waiting for brown eyes to close. After a dubious stare, Ginny closed her lids. Her mouth parted slightly. His lips curved in a predatory smile as he proceeded to use nimble fingertips in a manner that was guaranteed to make a legion of butterflies take flight in little Red's unsuspecting body.
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Blaise smiled dreamily, holding hands with Terry while the group walked along the edge of the forest. She noticed how the ointment's green sparkle made her boyfriend's eyes look almost teal blue and sighed happily, squeezing his hand.
Draco was sneering over her shoulder. He'd refused to let her and 'Terry-Boy' bring up the rear...didn't want Terry getting ideas about ravishing his girl in the forest. Ironically, she hadn't even thought about that possibility until her Black Knight insinuated it in that sinful drawl of his. Now Blaise was becoming obsessed with thoughts of her and Terry, alone in the woods...
"A Sickle for your thoughts."
She teased, "Mine are worth a Galleon, at least, since they involve you, and me, and…."
"In that case they're not worth a bloody Knut, Zabini."
Terry turned his head to glare at Draco, which caused his hair to slide over a muscled shoulder. Blaise resisted the urge to run her fingers through tempting brown strands. He caught her eye with a smile that warmed to her toes, which were curling in her boots.
Professor Lorelei and Headmaster Dumbledore were leading the procession. The students followed behind. They walked in near silence except for the occasional taunt by Draco to 'Potty' or 'Terry-Boy' and their angry replies. Blaise smiled affectionately. Draco was so adorable when he smirked. She couldn't understand how Ginny resisted him.
The group stopped before an unusually dense section of the forest and waited. After a moment, Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures professor and habitual traveller through the Forbidden Forest, emerged from a path now opening in the undergrowth by magic.
He hailed the group, black eyes and white teeth glinting through the shaggy screen of bushy black hair and beard. "Yer looking fair t'night, Lorelei...evening Dumbledore, everybody." Jovial greetings given, Hagrid advised, "'Spect yer wanting to get to that there faery ring. Mind you, I've been scouting and the path is alrigh'...no centaurs round here, nothing to harm as long as yeh stay on the path and don' be traipsing off. I'll be having yer word on tha'." Satisfied with the group's assurances, the half-giant waved farewell, and strode off toward his home.
Hagrid's words of caution made the adventure even more exciting to Blaise. She shivered in delight and pressed against Terry's back. The path was too narrow for anything except single file. Dumbledore now brought up the rear, wand at the ready.
The Forbidden Forest was lit by the reflection of the Blood Moon riding high in the sky. Iridescent insects shimmered amongst the bushes and gave the path a romantic glow. Entranced, Blaise smoothed Terry's hair back to get his attention. She pointed to the sky. "It should be a Lover's Moon."
Before Terry could do more than smile, Dumbledore's genial observation travelled up the path. "June is the month for a Lover's Moon, Ms. Zabini, which is why so many people, wizard and Muggle alike, join their lives together at that time."
"October's moon is one of new goals, protection, and resolution. Can anyone give another name for this month's moon?" Professor Lorelei's silken voice carried down the path, her question a welcome distraction from Blaise's embarrassing words.
Draco's sniggering did not help. His sudden yelp made her smile again, hoping that Ginny had trod his heel on purpose. She was starting to like that feisty Gryffindor.
Harry answered 'Falling Leaf' and 'Hunter's Moon', which were correct, of course.
Luna added her knowledge of the phases of the moon and which was best for planting, harvesting, and Divination.
"Professor Trelawney should be prancing about deliriously tonight, then. Hope we don't catch sight of her on the way back." Lorelei's droll tone had the students chuckling at the thought.
The Headmaster gently reminded them that the woman had a true, if erratic, gift and should be accorded the utmost respect. A guilty silence befell the group. It wasn't broken until they finally reached a clearing and laid eyes upon the faery ring.
Lying deep enough in the Forbidden Forest to remain undisturbed, the small circle was a grassy clearing encompassed by mushrooms and dotted with mosses and tiny flowers. Fragrant grasses and soft ferns comprised an outer circle around the ring.
Under the moon and the light from Dumbledore's wand, the students and Professor Lorelei joined hands, after being cautioned not to let go unless the professor gave word. Gripping Terry's and Draco's hands, Blaise breathed in the sweet scents and giddily waited for something to happen.
Lorelei released Harry and Ginny's hands for a moment to place a handful of Amethysts on a large flat mushroom inside the ring. She explained with a smile, "Faeries like bright stones." Rejoining the circle, she said, "Faeries hide from the world because men's hearts have grown cold, and few are able to see what is hidden. Only the magic of love can turn the key that unlocks the gates of the Fae...so think of those you love as I give the gift of song, and we shall unlock this gate together." Taking a deep breath, she sang a lilting, Celtic sounding tune about an Ancient Forest and the tales the forest could tell.
By the second verse, Blaise noticed a glimmering brightness starting to fill the ring. By the third verse, flickering lights transformed themselves into dozens of faeries. Squeezing the hands she held, she looked around at her companions. They were laughing with joy at the sight of the radiant beings with shining wings. The faeries were tiny, fair of face and hair, wearing gowns or clothing in various shades of green.
One flew close to her. Blaise smiled at his resemblance to the Slytherin by her side. He gave a roguish wink and zoomed off to join the others hovering by the professor and commenting on her dress, her hair, her song.
"There's a sad note in her voice tonight. Been disappointed by a lover, hmmm…." The knowing voice was felt as much as heard. It belonged to the faery who had winked at her.
"Don't tease, Puck."
"I'll tease whom I please, Nyx."
"What brings Lorelei?"
"Why she brought young ones is much more interesting, Ariella."
"Says you, Shea."
"Look, Faylinn, Dumbledore's here too."
"I see him, Terrytop."
Blaise became dizzy trying to match names to faery faces and comments. They were so different. Gull and Puddlefoot and Pinch and Trixy were all as bright eyed and playfully curious as kittens.
Puck frowned upon discovering the group was shielded from his Glamour by faery ointment. Shaking his tiny fist at each 'young one', he grumpily sat on Lorelei's shoulder and wrapped a long spiralling curl around himself. He tugged hard and smiled upon hearing 'Ouch!'
"S'pose you'll be wanting the phlox. Got a smelly room you want to freshen up?" The brash Fae was zipping about tugging everyone's hair and enjoying each expression of pain.
All eyes turned to Lorelei who said simply, "Yes, Divination Tower. The professor is finally willing to change to faery phlox due to its helpfulness in expanding 'sight.' We humbly brought song and stones to offer in return."
"We accept your gifts and ask for two more. First, silver." Puck flew to Luna and grabbed her Mandrake pendant. "Do you freely offer, girl?"
"Oh, yes!" Luna breathed ecstatically, to the merriment of the Fae who rolled in mid-air, holding their sides in laughter.
"All of you give us a song and dance, and you shall have your phlox and a gift besides. We promise no tricks or harm shall befall you." Puck grinned.
Lorelei looked uncertainly at Dumbledore. "What songs do the students all know?"
The spry wizard's smile rivalled the faeries in merriment. "The school song of course! Gather your courage; pick your partner, and your favourite tune. Let's show our fair friends what the people of Hogwarts are made of!"
Bowing to Lorelei, he waited for her to put her hand in his. Blaise watched Draco look unexpectedly complacent as he pulled Ginny into waltzing position. Harry and Luna followed suit.
Terry's smile as he brought her arms up to encircle his neck in a blatant embrace matched Puck's for impishness. His warm strong hands caressing her waist and back were more arousing than anything she had felt before.
The Headmaster's baritone blended with Lorelei's soprano and the rest of the group's voices as they started to sing.
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts...
The faeries laughed until they cried at the spectacle before them. At the end of the song, Puck told Lorelei with a wide grin, "Here's your faery phlox."
White flowers exploded in like tiny fireworks in air and drifted downward. Terry's fingers tenderly removed a flower from Blaise's hair and ran the soft, sweet petals along her cheeks. The girl was so dazed she barely heard Puck shout, "And here's your gift!"
Faeries zigged and zagged over each of the couples, giggling and sprinkling faery dust. Blaise held onto Terry for dear life when they began to rise. She soon became accustomed to the airy sensation.
Lorelei and Dumbledore drifted a couple of metres off the ground, moving in a stately waltz. Luna and Harry floated upwards a few more metres. Interestingly, Draco and Ginny circled in each others arms considerably higher than the other young couple. Gazing into Terry's eyes while faery dust sparkled in his hair and shimmered in the air around them, Blaise was unsurprised that they alone continued to drift into the canopy.
"Alone at last." His smiling voice stroked her body surely as his gentle hands. Dreamily, she brushed her fingers through his hair, along his face, and down his back. Meeting Terry's lips, the only dance Blaise cared about was the one that was as ancient as the forest around them.
Drawn by passion, the Fae Folk came to circle around them, mesmerised like moths to a flame. Wrapped up in the wonder of each other's mouths and arms and love, the couple was unaware of the passing of time or the slow drift downwards accompanied by the chiming songs and laughter of the faeries.
Blaise only opened her eyes when a puckish voice sniggered in her ear, "We promised no tricks, but if you continue your play in our circle much longer, we might be tempted to whisk you away to an enchanted isle across the Western Sea."
The disoriented girl wrenched her lips from her boyfriend's and pulled him up to sit beside her. They were lying on a mound of snow-white phlox in the middle of the ring. Their companions were scooping the flowers into an enchanted bag and grinning like...faeries.
Draco, with a look that promised his benevolence would only last the night, pulled Terry and then Blaise out of the circle. "Some show you two put on. How come you went higher than the rest of us put together?"
Languid from the night's events, Blaise thought about Draco's question while they gathered flowers, thanked the faeries and bid them farewell. Retracing the path illumined by nature and Dumbledore's wand, she waited until they stepped foot once more onto the familiar grounds of Hogwarts to whisper her answer, never letting go of Terry's hand,
"Love gives you wings...with a little help from faery dust."
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A/N:I do believe in faeries, I do, I do! I also believe in Reviewers who kindly share encouragement! To paraphrase Fleetwood Mac- you make writing fun and sprinkle faery dust to make me float giddily after every Review!
All the bits about faeries (I just liked the old spelling more than the usual one) I quoted from unknown sources or piecemealed and paraphrased from loads of online sites. Why is academic research never as much fun? When I have someone to credit, like Shakespeare or Florence Harrison, I do so, but all I can offer the unknown persons I quoted are heartfelt thanks. They were probably women, from the days when female writers were known only as 'a lady'. We've come a long way, baby!