1982
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Chapter 6
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Minerva's birthday
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by Saeshmea
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Severus was on his way to the library when he felt assaulted by the giant hand of Ethan Coen suddenly pausing on his shoulder.
"I've been looking for you everywhere!" he said.
"I had two classes in a row," Severus said, for some reason feeling as if he had to excuse himself for not having been visible, "what's the matter?"
"Well, Minerva's birthday is on Monday and I was thinking of celebrating it with a fancy dinner in London on Sunday."
"That sounds great," Severus said, as they walked together down the hall. He didn't know Minerva's birthday was coming soon, he didn't even know it was in October until that very moment.
"I want you to join us," Ethan said and Severus stopped to face at his friend.
"I don't think that's appropriate," he pointed out.
"Nonsense," the other man replied, "the more we are the more fun we'll have."
"Why not giving her a party, then?" Severus suggested.
"Because I want to take her out of this Castle and a party with all her friends would mean staying here."
"I guess that's right," Severus realized, "but anyway…"
"It's a date, then," Ethan interrupted him, "this is the place I've booked," he gave Severus a card, "don't be late and dress properly," and then he disappeared among a student's crowd coming out of a classroom.
The place was a victorian house transformed into a very fancy restaurant with a live orchestra and a dancefloor. The set looked very muggle, but it didn't take long to realize everyone there was from the magic world; specially if you focused on the beautiful ballerinas on the stage who were actually flying around.
A gentleman at the door stopped Severus, who had rushed inside wearing a black tuxedo with a green tie, and asked him if he had a reservation.
"I am with Mr. Coen, I believe," Severus said.
"Oh, yes," the short man replied, "Mr. and Mrs. Coen are already in their table," he said, and Severus realized it was the first time he'd heard anyone call Minerva Mrs. Coen. "Follow me."
He followed the guy around the dance floor and to a more private area where the tables were separated by beautiful shiny curtains.
"Severus," Minerva exclaimed when she saw him, "What…?"
"I invited him, my dear," Ethan explained..
"Happy birthday, Minerva," Severus said, giving her a box wrapped in Gryffindor colours.
"Oh, you didn't have…" she muttered taking the present and standing up to unwrap it better. It was then when Severus could see the beautiful golden dress she was wearing, tight to her waist, with long sleeves and a red tartan foulard around her shoulders.
"It was my pleasure," he said, and Ethan gestured him to sit down.
The two men watched Minerva discover a beautiful wooden chest that she opened only to discover it playing Beethoven's Moonlight sonata. Minerva gasped and took her hand to her mouth, her eyes unable to hide her emotion.
"Thank you," she said with a large smile on her lips, "I love it."
"I'm glad," Severus replied, keeping his temper but jumping of happiness inside.
"Look, Ethan, it has chocolates too," Minerva said, showing to her husband the content of the box.
"And you didn't want to come," Ethan said, giving Severus a tap with his shoulder, "only with the chocolate she would have been the happiest woman in the world," he added and they laughed while Minerva took to her mouth one of the little brown pieces and savoured it slowly with that smile still on her face.
…
While waiting for the desserts to arrive, Minerva turned to her husband suddenly and pulled the sleeve of his jacket.
"Ethan, let's dance," a begging tone on her voice.
"You know I don't dance, Nerva," he said apologetically, and then he looked at their table companion and asked: "Do you dance, Severus?"
Severus, who was having a sip of wine, left the glass on the table slowly and pensive responded:
"I guess I do manage myself on the dance floor."
"Good," Ethan replied, "then, why don't you amuse my wife and take her for a dance?"
"I…" he muttered nervously.
"Don't force the boy, Ethan…" Minerva scolded her husband.
Severus didn't know what pained him most, if Minerva not wanting to dance with him, or her calling him boy; whatever it was, it was enough to give him courage to stand up and extend a hand to Minerva.
"Shall we dance?" he asked, "With your permission, of course," he told Ethan.
"She's all yours," he joked, watching Minerva take Severus hand and walk with him to the dance floor.
…
"I'm so sorry," she said while the music changed to a waltz and they started dancing.
"It's me who should apologize for sneaking in your party," Severus said.
"I thought Ethan invited you," she replied as he made her suddenly turn around over the dance floor like a ballerina.
"He did," he admitted, pulling Minerva again to his arms and dancing around with her, "but I didn't think it was appropriate."
"Well, I'm very glad you came," she confessed, "otherwise I wouldn't have had the chance to dance," and she smiled, and he allowed himself to smile back
"Then I'm happy to be here to please you," Severus responded gently pushing her away from him and then pulling her back without letting go of her hand.
...
"Maybe we should go back," he suggested when the waltz finished.
"Not yet," Minerva begged right when a foxtrot began to sound, "only one more song," her eyes shined like those of a little kid begging for ice cream, and he couldn't say no to her, so he took his hand to the back of her armpit and began to lead.
...
"It's a pity there was never a Yule Ball during the years you were at Hogwarts," she said as they danced among the crowd as if they were the only ones in the dancefloor.
"Why is that?" he asked.
"Because you're a great dancer, and ladies really like that."
"There was only one girl I would have danced back then," Severus confessed, "and I don't think she would have taken me as her partner."
"What about now, Severus?" Minerva asked, glancing at him as people pulled them closer to each other everytime, "is there any woman you would like to dance with now?"
"There is," he answered.
"Do I know her?"
"I'd say so."
"Maybe I could help you," she suggested, "tell her what a good dancer you are."
"I don't think that would make any difference," he said, unable to take his eyes away from hers.
"How come?" it came out of her mouth like a whisper, an air that he inhaled hoping that moment would never end.
"Because…" he hesitated, "she's married," suddenly he felt her fingers, her nails, gripping on his back, holding him tight, and he pulled her closer to him too. Their eyes never lost contact as their chests clasped, melting, for an instant, their heart beats in one. Time stopped, even the people dancing around them seemed to freeze as their lips met for the very first time.
Her mouth tasted of the last chocolate she'd had after finishing her second plate, it was deliciously sweet.
The foxtrot finished and the band announced a break of a few minutes. As people began to return to their tables, Severus and Minerva stepped aside, still holding hands and looking at each other.
"Thank you for the dance," she said, as if nothing else had happened.
"Anytime," he answered, wondering for a moment if maybe he had just daydreamed that kiss, but still savouring that chocolate flavour in his mouth.
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TO BE CONTINUED...