Oh dammit, I was looking through my first draft of my A Night With You chapter saved by auto save when the monitor busted and it was so much better than the one I posted! It was a different version too. I'll post it if people want to see it…
Oh, and the dance is going to be alittlelonger than I thought.
"Step with your right, now your left and spin me-no, I said you left!"
"Okay, I get it. My left." Ron's face was beet red.
Lira shook her head as she pushed back a strand of blonde hair. "You're hopeless you know," she said and turned to make a face at Nina who was nearby.
Nina smiled, her hands contentedly on Remus' shoulder, and chose to remain an innocent bystander.
Lira sighed and turned back to Ron who was standing with a bewildered expression on his face.
She'd dragged him onto the dance floor an hour before (he'd come willingly after some Ravenclaw had made a move at her) but he didn't seem any better at this hand feet coordination business.
She peeped enviously at where Derek was with Sammi. Now there was a guy who knew how to dance. She sighed and grabbed Ron's arm. "C'mon, we need a break. Get us a butterbeer okay?"
Ron nodded with barely suppressed relief. "Coming right up."
Lira shook her head as she drew near to where Hermione and Sirius were talking in quiet voices. "If I had a blind date you think he'd be any better than that guy?"
Hermione looked up and winced. So Ron was messing this up.
Sirius stroked his chin. "Better? Well….I'm sorry Lira, but most definitely. If only you had come to me first I could have found an incredibly handsome date with whatever you girls want. What, shimmering blue eyes-."
Lira made a face. "Shimmering?"
"-Golden blond hair-."
"And who's probably a 2nd year." Hermione cut in. She grinned at Sirius who shrugged. "Stick with Ron. He's alright."
Lira snorted and quickly pasted on a brilliant smile as Ron came running over with the drinks. "At least service is quick."
"What?" Ron panted as he skidded to a stop.
"Nothing." Lira flashed her smile again as she grabbed a bottle and took a long sip.
Sirius looked amused as he stood up. "Ready Hermione?"
Hermione felt her heart beat faster as she stood up beside him. Sirius smiled and took her hand and led her out into the middle of the room.
Hermione gently slid her hands over his shoulder as she felt a slight pressure at her waist. His hands were warm and soft.
A new song was struck up by the Rocking Cauldrons. Hermione closed her eyes, letting the music fill her body. She'd never had actual dancing lessons before, beside the short lecture by Pro. McGonagall before the Yule ball. She was surprised to discover that Sirius danced very well. Nothing like what Ron was with Lira.
"You're good at this," she said. The music was soft enough to talk normally.
Sirius smiled, but there was something behind this one that wasn't like his normal grin. "Considering the hours of training I had to go through as a kid, I would hope it paid off. You can't imagine what the dinner parties my parents threw were like."
Hermione felt he cheeks flush at the way he said "My parents". It was true then, what Harry had told her about Sirius' past.
They continued in silence. The next song was a fast one. Hermione didn't know any of the steps, but neither did most of the people around them, as they retreated back towards the food table. Sirius whirled her around the room through a series of complicated steps and the room spun as Hermione felt like she was in second grade again, on the muggle tire swing at her elementary school. They stopped suddenly in the middle of the song and Sirius caught Hermione as she stumbled.
"Sorry," he said pushing back his bangs. "2 months of dance lessons gone to waste. Can't remember the rest."
Hermione laughed. "Okay then." It was really hot in here. She absently fanned herself with her hand, and noticed an open doorway leading to the garden outside. "Hey, you think we can go in there?" she asked impulsively. Whenever she was around Sirius, he made her feel more daring.
Sirius followed her gaze. "Sure." He strode towards the doors.
Hermione looked around. Everyone elsewas still crowded together in the Great Hall. "You sure?"
"No." Sirius opened the door and held it out for her to enter through.
Hermione smiled and stepped into the cold evening air.
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"What's up with that robe?"
Sammi glanced up from where she'd been pouring herself a cup of punch. "My robe?" She flushed. "Quidditch-."
"We know you're all about quidditch, Taglia." Jane Angsten's eyes were hard with malice. "So you want to rub in the fact you were elected most-likely-to-get-into pros last year? You think just because your better at some game you're better than the rest of us?"
"'course not!" Sammi's face had grown even redder. "Well then again, maybe in your case-."
"Don't talk back." Alice was Angsten's friend. The two Hufflepuffs were huge members in Derek Daimon's fan club. "You think just you can keep Derek all to yourself? I-."
"What's up." Derek was standing next to Sammi." He glanced at the Hufflepuffs. "Oh, hi Jane. And Aly." Alice didn't even seem to mind he'd gotten her name wrong. She smiled and looked up at him from behind her eyelashes. "Hello Derek." She murmured. She was apparently trying to sound like some model in an ad. Unfortunately she was succeeding.
Derek smiled, his eyes running over her slim perfect body.
"And how was the dance tonight?" Jane asked, a curl of golden hair falling over her forehead.
"Fine." Derek said looking surprised. "It was fine."
Sammi scowled. "I'm going to get some butterbeer. Anyone else want some?"
Derek shook his head but Jane nodded. "Yeah, get me one." She smirked.
Sammi scowled even more and pushed her way towards the refreshment table. To her surprise, she found Harry standing next to the punch bowl, looking slightly pale.
"Hey Harry!"
Harry turned and forced a weak smile. "Hey Sammi. How's the dance?"
"Good. Fine." Even she herself was surprised at the forcefulness of her own voice. Sammi swallowed, stealing a peek at where Derek was having some intense conversation with Alice and Jane. "I had a great time dancing." So there, she thought defiantly, turning away from the two.
Harry nodded slowly. "That's great Sammi," he said softly.
Sammi stopped her vengeful thoughts to look at him in concern. "Is something wrong."
Oh nothing. It' just that the girl I've always wanted is having the time of her life with the most popular guy in school. "Nah." Harry looked around. "Listen, I have to go talk to James," he lied.
"Oh." Sammi looked vaguely disappointed. She grabbed two butterbeers and nodded at two huge doors leading to the garden outside. "I'm pretty sure he went out there."
Harry smiled weakly. "Oh, thanks." He gave a small wave before striding off in that direction.
She trudged back towards where Derek was standing.
Jane grabbed her butterbeer without a word of thanks. Sammi looked in surprise at something silky exchanged in her hand. A piece of black, silky cloth…
Her head snapped up and her eyes flashed. Jane, sensing the change in her grabbed Alice's hand. "See ya around Derek."
"See you." Derek turned to see Sammi glaring after them. "What's up with you Taglia?" he asked, pulling her behind a pole.
Sammi shook her head. For the first time, she was feeling something called jealousy. It seemed natural to girls like Jane and Alice, but Sammi didn't think she could cope with an episode like that everyday. Strange how things were. She could handle screaming bludgers and racing at 60mph 50 mile in the air, but she couldn't handle a simple cat fight.
Sammi took a deep breath. Alice and Jane apparently didn't think she could. Well she'd show them wrong. Tonight a new Sammi would emerge. A new Sammi who wasn't so completely obsessed with sports and who didn't live in total social Siberia.
"I'm alright." She forced herself to put on a sassy smile. "Wanna dance?"
Derek smiled. That's better, he seemed to say. Sammi followed him grimly onto the dance floor, and though by now she was getting sick of it, she put her hands on his shoulders as a new song started.
Whoever said being popular would be easy? It seemed to take more than just physical sacrifices.
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Harry sat on the hard stone bench out in the garden with his elbows on his knees and his head down. A bitter breeze was blowing as it ruffled his dark hair but he paid no mind. In fact he welcomed the cold. Welcomed the way it made his mind stop working.
He couldn't think; didn't want to think. Maybe if he closed his eyes this world would just melt away….Sammi Taglia. The name and image pounded mercilessly into his brain. Her eyes, Her smile. Her laugh. How unfair was it that he had been so close to be the one to lead her onto the dance floor. The one to take her into his arms….
"….Lily."
Harry looked up. There was a peal of laughter coming from somewhere to his left. Harry felt himself standing up and as if hypnotized, walked slowly down a rock path and several bushy shrubs where he stopped at the back of another stone bench.
2 figures were residing their, and though they were both merely silhouettes he recognized their voices.
"Wait, so when did you start liking me?" Lily asked coyly.
James smiled as his hazel eyes grew dreamy. "1st year. 1st day. You punched Snivelus in the jaw."
Lily flushed. "That wasn't my favorite memory. I've been trying to make it up to him."
James shook his head, "Don't bother. I doubt he remembers." With a sudden movement, he reached out and caught a lock of Lily's hair in his hands as if transfixed.
She looked surprised, and with a small sigh leant back on James' chest. "You know Potter, you're not as bad as I thought," she murmured.
James smiled as he ran a hand through her fiery hair with more confidence. "'course not." Her hair smelled like raspberries. He felt intoxicated with the scent. "I was just scared someone else would ask you out first before you, you know, had a chance to get to know me better. It's already 6th year after all."
Lily said nothing for a minute as she continued to stroke his chest. Then-"I'm glad you asked me first."
James smiled. "Even if someone had asked you before me I would've found a way to get you back."
He yawned, "I really like you Lily.
Lily hesitated, and then in a low voice, said, "I like you too…James."
They snuggled together on the bench as a cool breeze shifted through the garden.
Harry got up then and after a glance back at his parents walked purposefully back towards the castle, his chest tight with emotions.
Awww. I just thought that was a sweet scene to stop at.
I know this started out as a Hermione/Sirius fic but Harry and Sammi got caught up in the plot too, and of course I have to add a bit of Lily/James in the mix. Which couple do you people like the best?
And don't worry, I won't abandon this fic, due to the fact I already started outlining a sort of companion story after this one's done. It came to me in a dream actually, so you could call it a vision. Jk…
In my haste to update, I can't do mesages, but thanks a bunch to all my reviewers! Career high 13 reviews! lol
Ciao!