Chapter 31
Sunday, Valentines Day
Love was in air!
Well, lust maybe. Hermione thought as she saw the boys around Hogwarts trying to woo their intended sweethearts.
Enchanted heart shaped letters flew around constantly, and sometimes there were so many, she felt like she was swatting away flies as she walked through the hallway. It got this way every year. Harry and his girlfriend had been going out for months and it looked as if things were progressing nicely. Poor Ron's attempts to snag a girlfriend were not going well. Ginny and Draco had established themselves as a couple as well. The single students had something to worry about: The Merry Hearts Dance. It wasn't a formal affair, just a time of dancing, eating, and hanging out for the students of the fifth, six and seventh years. Severus sent her a box of chocolate-covered rasberries and roses that arrived during the morning post.
The staff saw how restless the students were since the Hogsmeade trips had been cancelled, so they came up with the idea to let students let off a little steam. That afternoon Draco and Hermione had decorated the great hall simply with flying cupid figures shooting arrows, fluttering hearts and cooing lovebirds. Hermione added red roses to the round tables that lined the walls that had replaced the long dining tables.
"That was easy enough," Draco said looking around.
"It's not too fluffy-lovey-dovey is it?" Hermione asked.
"Well, it is Valentines Day, shorty. It's good as long as the lovebirds don't shit on anyone. So, are you even coming to this party?" Draco asked.
"Yes, I've been recruited to play some music. The staff has been handing me music all day to look at. Some of the selections are a definite no. I have some songs in mind though."
"It should be fun," Draco said.
"We'll see. You can dance and snog freely with your sweetheart." Hermione said pointedly. "Sorry Draco. I'm just frustrated. I'll leave now to get ready. See you later."
In her room, Hermione flipped through her selection of romantic songs. She had about a hundred in mind but had to narrow it down to a few.
Hmmm, let's see…okay, these will do fine. Amazed, At Last, and finally, oh yes Could I Have This Kiss Forever. And let's not forget Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue!
She then flipped through the selections of the staff.
Oh my. They actually like some of this stuff? Oh well, I'll just grit my teeth and play them. Except this one. Sorry, Headmaster, I'll cut my fingers off before I play Achy Breaky Heart."
She looked at Severus' selection. She laughed. It was "Brown Eyed Girl."
He likes Van Morrison?
Partytime, 8 pm
Hermione arrived in the great hall to find a that a good crowd had shown up. Ron of course was gathering some food at the refreshment table, and the rest of her friends were at a table. Soft somewhat romantic music was enchanted from somewhere. Ginny was sitting in Draco's lap laughing. Harry was with his girlfriend.
Alone again Granger.
She looked to one side of the hall to see the professors chatting, Snape included.
Poor thing was probably forced to come. she thought grinning at him.
He nodded back. He looked to her pants, then her t-shirt and covered his mouth with his fingers. She was wearing red vinyl pants (Ginny begged her to wear them) and a white t-shirt with red writing said:
To Know Me Is To Love Me
"Uh, nice outfit, Mione," Ron said.
"Hermione, we really get a kick out of the shirts you wear," Harry remarked.
Dumbledore made a few remarks about the history of St. Valentines Day, thanked everyone for coming then asked Hermione to take the piano for a song.
She took her seat at the bench and said, "Alright lovebirds, grab your sweetheart and take the floor." She raised her eyebrows to Severus as if to say, "This one's for you." She started:
Every time our eyes meet, This feeling inside me
Is almost more than I can take, Baby when you touch me
I can feel how much you love me, And it just blows me away
I've never been this close to anyone or anything
I can hear your thoughts, I can see your dreams
I don't know how you do what you do
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better
I want to spend the rest of my life
With you by my side, Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby, I'm amazed by you
The smell of your skin, The taste of your kiss
The way you whisper in the dark
Your hair all around me, Baby you surround me
You touch every place in my heart
Oh, it feels like the first time, every time
I want to spend the whole night in your eyes
Every little thing that you do, I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better, I want to spend the rest of my life
With you by my side, Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do, Baby, I'm amazed by you
At the song's conclusion, the couples were glued together. She winked to Severus, who was looking amazed at her, then returned to her table. A cha-cha song sounded throughout the room. Hermione looked around.
Who here can cha-cha? I can, Draco can, but who else?
To her immense surprise, Prof. Headmaster Dumbledore asked for her hand and they took the floor. Draco and Ginny, a few other couples and Hermione and Dumbledore danced a cha-cha.
If I only had a camera, I'm doing a cha-cha with the Headmaster!
"Miss Granger, you dance well," Dumbledore said.
"Thank you sir. My parents had me take dance lessons growing up. I never actually thought I would use them." Hermione replied. She remembered the disagreement she had with her mum not long ago. "Mum, when and where am I going to tango? I don't plan on being a dancing witch."
An hour passed and Hermione was actually having a good time. She was dying, however, to dance with Severus. Just to be near him, touch him, smell him. A few fast latin tunes had come on for Hermione to dance to. She loved the lively, pulsing rhythm that she could lose herself in. When the song was over, she was ushered to the piano again:
"As soon as Miss Granger catches her breath, we will hear another song from her," Dumbledore said.
Come now, my dear, you were much more breathless the other night! Snape thought.
Over and over I look in your eyes, You are all I desire
You have captured me, I want to hold you
I want to be close to you, I never want to let go
I wish that this night would never end
I need to know
Could I have this kiss for a lifetime
Could I look into your eyes
Could I have this night to share this night together
Could I hold you close beside me
Could I hold you for all time
Could I could I have this kiss forever
Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever
Over and over I've dreamed of this night
Now you're here by my side, You are next to me
I want to hold you and touch you taste you
And make you want no one but me
I wish that this kiss could never end
Oh baby please
Could I hold you for a lifetime, Could I look into your eyes
Could I have this night to share this night together
Could I hold you close beside me, Could I hold you for all time
Could I could I have this kiss forever
Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever
I don't want any night to go by, Without you by my side
I just want all my days, Spent being next to you
Lived for just loving you, And baby, oh by the way
Could I hold you for a lifetime, Could I look into your eyes
Could I have this night to share this night together
Could I hold you close beside me, Could I hold you for all time
Could I have this kiss forever
Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever
At the end of that song, the couples that weren't kissing were clapping.
Severus and the staff were clapping too. Hermione was fine on the outside, but was bonkers inside. The atmosphere, the music, the lovey-dovey couples, made her want to run screaming from the great hall.
Dragging Severus with me of course! A tango started.
I AM NOT dancing a tango with the headmaster.
She looked around the group to see if Draco knew how, but a tap on her shoulder made her turn around.
It was Severus. "Miss Granger, can you tango?"
"Tolerably."
"Shall we?" He held out his hand and they took the floor. They were the only ones on the floor.
"If I didn't know any better, I think they set this up. A tango?" Hermione said quietly.
The dance started. Snape could tango! She savored every minute of the dance. During the embraces, they weren't quite cheek-to-cheek but close enough for both of them to get a thrill. They looked in each other eyes, Hermione focused on Severus' lead. She freely swung her hips during the strolls, smiling demurely at him. He almost missed a step at seeing Hermione's suggestive moves. At song's end, he improvised a bit and dipped her as the last notes sounded. The crowd clapped, hooted and whistled. Snape bowed and Hermione blushed deeply trying to catch her breath. She went to the piano again. Harry handed her a kerchief and glass of juice on the way.
"This is my favorite song this evening. It's for someone special in my life." Hermione announced.
At last, my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Oh, yeah, at last
The skies above are blue
My heart was wrapped up in clovers
The night I looked at you
I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to rest my cheek to
A thrill that I have never known
Oh, yeah when you smile, you smile
Oh, and then the spell was cast
And here we are in heaven
For you are mine
At last
Hermione's heart was ready to burst at that point. She coyly wiped a tear with the kerchief. Snape noticed. She glanced around the hall, and seeing no one noticing her, mouthed "I love you" to Severus. He nodded back. She played some of the professor's song selections. As she predicted earlier, she gritted her teeth and played.
Times like this makes me wish I didn't know how to play. My dear, I covet thee? Who wrote this? she thought.
When she stopped playing, she danced with Harry, then Ron, then Draco. Then another latin dance came on. Minutes later, out of breath, she took the piano for the last time.
Don't know when I've been so blue
Don't know what's come over you
You've found someone new
And don't it make my brown eyes blue
I'll be fine when you're gone
I'll just cry all night long
Say it isn't true
And don't it make my brown eyes blue
Tell me no secrets, tell me some lies
Give me no reasons, give me alibis
Tell me you love me and don't make me cry
Say anything but don't say goodbye
I didn't mean to treat you bad
Didn't know just what I had
But, honey, now I do
And don't it make my brown eyes
Don't it make my brown eyes
Don't it make my brown eyes blue
Don't it make my brown eyes
Don't it make my brown eyes
Don't it make my brown eyes blue
Thanks to the following readers who reviewed, my muses!
notoriousreviewer, fadedglory, the-amazing-color-brown, iloveseverussnape, KellyRoxton, hpobsessor, bloodwitch88, evil-mastermind666, Avada Kedavra, adele rose, Artemis Virgin Goddess, BedtimeStory, MondaysExcuse- thank you all for sticking with the story. I know you'll enjoy the sequel!