AN: Mood music and inspiration for the title for this is Lady in Red by Chris de Burgh.

As Lina turned to face the mirror she braced herself for the worst. That even after taking longer than she had ever taken to get dressed, that after hours of primping and preening and being wrapped in the most beautiful and expensive dress that she had ever dared to touch that she would still look like a flat chested, awkward kid playing dress up.

But when she finally caught sight of herself her eyes widened as her jaw dropped a little as Queen Hortensia came up behind her and put her hands on her shoulders, "You look lovely."

"Yeah," Lina agreed weakly as she tried to brush it off and channel her bravado. Queen Hortensia had been so grateful for the services that she and Gourry had rendered while helping her kingdom that she had insisted on throwing a ball in their honor. Lina had tried to act as if this was normal territory for her even though the truth was that while she had stood by as a bodyguard at plenty of formal dances, she had never been dolled up and a part of one, "I wash up well."

"That swordsman isn't going to be able to keep his hands off you." Hortensia said with a wink and Lina blushed and wished she wouldn't go there, especially as Lina glanced at the low cut of her dress. She was wearing a corset, which emphasized what cleavage she did have. And the red dress with gold trim complemented her well, but still. Lina couldn't shake the worry that this would be her pinnacle of beauty and that Gourry would merely give her the expected first dance before inviting some buxom young woman to the dance floor for the second.

"You ready to go?" Hortensia asked.

Lina took a deep breath and figured that she might as well get this over with. She was either going to have the best night of her life or, as she was reluctantly coming to confront, have to learn real quick to smile through her heart break.

Gourry was already at the entrance to the ball when she arrived, talking with a coterie of admirers. Of course he had admirers. He was still handsome while covered in grime and wearing tattered clothing from a week's worth of travel, but now that he was dressed in a deep blue tunic that brought out his eyes with his hair pulled back in a ponytail he was gorgeous. And unlike so many other men he was not skin deep. He was kind and loyal and brave. He could have his pick of any woman there. But would he even glance her way? Would he find dancing with her an annoying obligation that would take him away from the other more alluring ladies?

But he turned as she approached and, was it her imagination, or did his eyes widen when he saw her? Was it in appreciation? Or surprise to see her in a dress? Or mere annoyance that she was interrupting his fun? "Excuse me," he said to the group of women he was talking to as he walked up to her.

"Hey," he said as he looked at her in what Lina hoped was admiration.

Her heart fluttered and she hoped she wasn't blushing as she looked at him. "Hey," she replied as he smiled as he seemed to take her in.

"Lina?" he asked and Lina's heart constricted as she wondered what idiotic thing he was going to say.

"Let me guess, you nearly didn't recognize me?" she said as she lowered her head.

He scratched the back of his head, "No, even in a dress you're hard to miss."

He blushed suddenly as Lina wondered how to take that when the sound of trumpets blared from the ballroom as he held out his hand. Lina took a deep breath and grabbed it, setting off a volley of fireworks within her stomach. Damn, not even she could deny it anymore. She had it bad! But was he feeling anything but obligation?

From within the ballroom Queen Hortensia announced, "And now, in thanks for Lina Inverse and Gourry Gabriev for their help in returning out daughter home safely, we will give them the honor of opening this ball with a dance."

The music picked up and for once Lina found herself following Gourry as he led her to the dance floor. As they walked through the doors everyone turned to stare. Well, of course they were staring. Gourry was quite the image of the hero. Meanwhile everyone loved to talk about how unattractive she was. They couldn't possibly be looking at her.

They reached the floor and Gourry stopped. It was strange to follow his lead and as he turned to face her she tried to tell herself that it was the sole reason for the anxiety she felt as he put a hand on the small of her back and pulled her close as he grabbed her hand. If he was nervous he didn't show it. He seemed as cool and collected as always as he looked into her eyes as the music started.

Dancing gave her something to focus on, a pattern to fall into as Gourry started to smile. As expected he was a good, confident dancer and he seemed to be enjoying himself. If he wasn't good at faking it. Damn, she hoped he wasn't faking it. It felt so good to be held in his arms, to feel his muscles flexing beneath her hands, the ways their bodies moved together as if they were destined to be with each other. And as she looked into his eyes it was hard to believe that he was anything but happy. Especially as she detected the hunger within them and realized that he was looking at her in a way that she had dreamed that he would look at her, as though she was the most desirable woman in the world. Still, she couldn't believe that he was looking at her in that way!

Was she merely imagining the look? A projection of her own desires that she barely acknowledged?

When this song ends I'll know, Lina told herself as she hoped she still retained a shred of her bravado, that she wasn't showing how desperately she wanted him to stay for a second dance. But then she would know if this was just a performance on his part or not. And suddenly she wanted this dance to last forever, to make this moment of potential last as long as she could. To find some way to be alluring enough that he would stay.

But there were no spells to control time and it made its perpetual march forward. And as the song died Lina felt as though her heart was beating so loud that she would be asked to join the percussion section. And as the fears that this would end percolated through her being she found herself saying, her voice strange to her ears, "So I guess you're going to find someone else after this dance."

He pulled her closer so their bodies pressed together for a moment as a jolt of magic that she had never dared to explore ran through her. And then he loosened his grip as he said softly, "Only if you want me to."

Lina took a breath as she buried her face in his chest and shook her head, "No, I don't."

He pulled her close again as the music ended as more people joined the dance floor, and Lina was surprised as a handsome young nobleman came up and asked, "May I cut in?"

Lina's eyes widened in surprise. Someone other than Gourry wanted to dance with her? Her heart started racing as Gourry said gently as he looked at her tenderly, "Not this time."

"Well who wouldn't want more time in the company of that beauty?" the nobleman said with a smile as he went away as the music started again and they resumed their dance as Lina's heart pounded in her chest.

"Not even an idiot like me wouldn't." Gourry said softly.

"So you think I'm a beauty?" Lina asked in a surge of bravado as she tilted her head at him.

"Yeah," Gourry said as he appeared flustered once more, almost as if anticipating a fireball.

Lina smiled as she moved even closer to him and enjoyed the dance with a well of confidence that she did not have when it had begun.