February 14th 2001

"So, I got you something a little … different this year." Seamus said, sitting down in Dean's lap on the couch. Dean looped an arm around his waist, a playful smile on his face, "Ooh, sounds intriguing." He made a suggestive expression. Seamus rolled his eyes, "No, nothing like that. Keep it in your pants." No, that sort of behavior would come later in the evening. "I booked us for a class."

"What?" Dean said, his cocky expression quickly morphing into bewilderment.

Seamus nodded, "This Saturday, you and I are going to learn how to ballroom dance."

Dean chuckled, "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack." Seamus said, using the muggle phrase he had picked up.

"Why do we need to learn to ballroom dance?" Dean asked suspiciously, wondering if this was supposed to be some convoluted way of him asking to marry him. If so, Dean couldn't help but think it was a little early for that, given that they hadn't been together for three years yet.

"Because it's fun? I've always wanted to learn to dance. Besides, it's supposed to be a romantic thing, and I want to be cheesy and act like we're in a bad romantic novel."

"Oh we act like that already. You're so hopelessly romantic it's kind of inevitable that we act like a walking talking chick lit book." Dean teased, leaning up to kiss his boyfriend. It was always funny to him when he was the one that had to look up for a kiss. After a few moments Dean pulled back, "That reminds me, though. I've forgot to give you your gift." He gestured for Seamus to move and scrambled to their bedroom to retrieve the gift where he had hidden it in the closet. He came back and sat in front of Seamus, holding a small red box. He started to speak, but decided against it and simply handed Seamus the square box.

He slowly popped the lid off the box. Inside the box lay a smooth necklace chain with a silver trinity spiral charm dangling from it. He ran a thumb over the small symbol, a smile curving his lips. "It's beautiful." He murmured.

"Much like the Irishman it belongs to." Dean said fondly, reaching out and removing the necklace from the box, latching it around Seamus' neck for him. The chain was thick and fell down his chest, the trinity spiral square in the middle of his torso. But the trinket was quickly forgotten about when Seamus yanked Dean toward him and thanked him with a heavy kiss.

The two stepped shyly into the large, hardwood studio. The mirrors on every wall didn't really help matters of anxiety either. The room was filled with other couples, almost all of them straight couples. A few glanced at them oddly. Dean reached out and held Seamus' hand tightly. There was one pair of women who cast them a small (perhaps reassuring?) smile towards them. In the wizarding community, it was not exactly uncommon to find same sex pairings, and nobody particularly cared one way or another. The wizarding community cared far more about blood status (although this had been changing recently) than they did about homosexuality. But Dean remembered, as they waited for the instructor to arrive, that the muggle world cared far more about such foolish things. Dean's family didn't mind, and Seamus' mother wasn't terribly upset either. But these strangers seemed to be looking at them like they were either curious creatures or terrible monsters.

Finally, the instructor entered — a tall, grey haired, slim woman. She looked like she could be a ballerina grandmother. Perhaps she was. The room of couples all turned toward her, and Dean and Seamus were able to forget their nerves a little. "Welcome everyone. I'm happy to have you here today. Be aware that this is a 'crash course', as it were, in slow dancing. Do not expect to be experts after today's session. However, you should be able to dance your way through a wedding." She made a knowing smile as a few people smiled furtively. She was not disillusioned as to why most people took her classes. "If you would, however, like to learn more ballroom dances such as the tango, salsa, and others I do offer weekly classes. Please ask me after class if you are interested." After a moment of silence she clapped her hands together, "Now! Let's get started then, shall we?" At the sound a man entered the room and sidled up beside the teacher. He was evidently her husband, judging by the grey hair that matched her own and the wedding rings on both of their left hands. Dean absently wondered why he had entered separately. Was the instructor trying to make a dramatic entrance? Was her husband just shy?

"Alright, to start I want to be sure you all know how to do a basic step." She said loud and clear through the studio. How could such an old woman carry her voice so well? "Stand beside your partner, we'll get to the handling in a minute. Good, now stand with your feet apart. Shoulders length … very good. Yes. Now, do as I do." She said to her class of a dozen couples. She seemed to just tap her feet together. It was … not what Dean had expected. But he followed along. "Now this is called a simple touch step. Pretty simple, right? Right to left and left to right. Be sure not to dip your knee, and just let it bend naturally." Dean corrected himself, realizing he was putting a little too much flare into such a simple movement.

After a few minutes of the class doing this she announced, "Alright, now pair off." She stood beside her husband and modeled how her pupils ought to stand, "Ladies, hand on the shoulder. Men, hand just on the waist. You can either do this with both hands or hold hands with the opposite hands."

Dean looked shyly at Seamus, who returned the nervousness. Dean decided for them that he would lead, and held Seamus' hand in his left and put his right on his not-very-slim waist. Given how much shorter Seamus was to him, it just made sense that it worked this way. Seamus put his hand on Dean's shoulder as his cheeks and nose flushed red. "Now, repeat the same simple touch step I showed you. Men, lead your partner in a small circle if you're feeling up to it, using your position at their waist to navigate and guide them."

Dean and Seamus tentatively, carefully moved together. Simple steps to start. Dean carefully lead him about the room. He knew this. An old memory filtered to the surface of his mind of the Yule Ball. He had not danced like this since then, but he was starting to remember how to do it. He remembered, vaguely, dancing like this with Fay Dunbar. He had danced very poorly back then, his feet far too large for his still growing legs and body. But now that he was properly proportioned he was able to better balance himself and was able to carry himself better. He lead Seamus carefully, slowly bringing them about in a circle. It was a lot easier than he had expected. From that moment in, the rest of the class was far easier.

"Remember, eye contact is key. Don't look down at your toes." The teacher reminded.

They hardly needed such a reminder. While Seamus was a little less confident in his own footwork, having Dean as his partner gave him more faith in himself. With such maintained eye contact and the relatively close physical contact, it was easy to see why dances were used as a form of courting. It did not take long for them to become lost in each other.

February 22nd, 2001

Seamus struggled up the stairs of the apartment complex, stumbling through the door. He was completely exhausted. There had been a particularly difficult raid that day that had lasted hours with an old death eater who refused capture. It had been stressful, and though Seamus would not admit it — rather frightening. Killing curses were shot left and right. But in the end they were able to stop him and contain him, bringing him back to the ministry. But consequently, he was home later than he normally would have been. When he walked through the door he was immediately greeted by Dean, "All you alright?" He asked a bit anxiously.

"Yeah, 'm fine." Seamus said, a bit weakly.

"I sent an owl to the ministry when it was an hour after you would be home. They sent back straightaway that you were caught up in a raid. I got worried."

Seamus smiled a bit, "That's sweet of you, love. But really. It's okay. I'm alive, s'all that matters right?"

"Right." Dean agreed, "You hungry?"

"Famished."

An hour later, with a fully belly, Seamus was more or less collapsed on the couch beside his boyfriend, the TV absently showing something that neither of them were paying much attention to. Dean decided that Seamus needed some proper cheering up. Since he had come home, Seamus had been a bit sullen and quiet. He knew that he wasn't going to talk about whatever at work had upset him. Generally, it was against the rules anyway. Dean nudged Seamus a bit and stood up, offering a hand. Seamus gave him a curious look, but accepted the hand and allowed Dean to pull him up to his feet. Dean turned around and pushed the power button on the telly. He turned back to face Seamus, holding up his hand and putting his other hand on his waist.

"What're you…?"

"Shh," Dean hushed him gently, slowly starting to sway with Seamus. Seamus reluctantly let a smile come out as he followed along. Dean carefully lead them around the living room, expertly avoiding the furniture. There wasn't an ounce of music in the room, but it didn't matter. They spun about the room, unintentionally ending up closer to each other.

"I'm sorry you've had a rough day."

Seamus smiled up at him, "Thank you. I think this is just what I needed." It was only a matter of moments before they slowed to a stop and took a break from dancing to embrace each other instead.