FLINCH AND SIGH
Disclaimer: This is a non-profit tribute to the works of JK Rowling who created and, together with her publishers and licensees, owns the characters and settings elaborated herein.
A/N: Spoilers, seventh year fic, begun after OotP and not compatible with HBP or DH. Thanks to all my reviewers and especially to my previewers, Bellegeste, Cecelle and Lady Memory. Sorry for the long delay, caused firstly by RL then by performance anxiety.
The story till now: After Professor Snape reveals his true feelings to a newly graduated Hermione, an unexpected friendship slowly develops, furthered by exchanges of letters (which most recently have concerned his past dealings with Harry's parents) and occasional meetings. Tonight, they meet at the ballet…
She couldn't quite decide at first what was different about him. She'd seen him smile before. He was no taller; he walked no straighter.
"Shall we go in?" he said, and oh, there it was in the tilt of his chin, in the softening of his eyes. Whatever it was.
She gulped. "Perhaps you'd better read this first," she said, offering him the programme. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I mean, I did know what the ballet was about; it was you I didn't know about when I suggested coming. And I didn't think about what it meant, until I bought this."
He cast a glance over the synopsis. She watched the narrowing of his eyes as he reached "...and Loys, who is in reality Count Albrecht, Princess Bathilde's fiance. Jealous and suspicious of his favoured rival, Hilarion resolves to sneak into his cottage and look for evidence against him," and the whitening of his knuckles as he turned the page to find Hilarion in the second act "grieving the fatal revelation that had killed the girl he loved." Her hands clenched too. She watched his Adam's apple bob up and down at the realisation that Giselle would indeed become a Wili, "restless spirits forced by their evil queen, Myrta, to dance to death any man they encounter." He blinked and swallowed and she knew he'd just read "to lay lilies on her grave". Her hand rose uselessly and fell.
"We could go somewhere else," she suggested. "Dinner, maybe, or a movie."
He read to the end. Hilarion was dead, but Giselle had saved her betrayer by dancing with him herself, holding off the other Wilis until the clock struck four, the hour of dawn, and she relinquished him into his fiancee's hands.
He looked up, his face no paler and his eyes no darker than usual. It was an almost convincing semblance of calm. She shivered.
"And waste your parents' birthday present to you? No. We will go in, er M-"
"Call me Hermione," she said desolately. "You called me that in that one letter, and you've been avoiding calling me anything ever since." She waited two beats. "Please. We are friends, aren't we? I think we're past the time that standing on ceremony made any sense."
His lips curved obediently. "Hermione," he agreed.
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
It helped that the Pavlov's Giselle was very dark, Hilarion blond as any Malfoy, and Albrecht sleek and sandy-haired. Glancing over at Severus, Hermione found him watching her as often as the stage. But it couldn't last. By the time Giselle's heart was won, he sat rigid, his eyes fixed on the dancers, his throat working. It was her turn to forget the performance they had come to see.
She couldn't help herself. Her hand snaked out and one finger lightly stroked the back of his tight-clenched hand. He flinched and sighed and their eyes met for a long moment, hers supplicating, his blind from long-seeing. Then his hand turned over and closed around hers.
A/N The dancers are fictional. As productions vary markedly, I wrote a synopsis, which I've excerpted in the chapter:
Act 1
It is a Rhineland village in the grape-picking season. Giselle, who has a weak heart but loves dancing, has two suitors, Hilarion the hunter and Loys, who is in reality Count Albrecht, Princess Bathilde's fiance. Jealous and suspicious of his favoured rival, Hilarion resolves to sneak into his cottage and look for evidence against him.
Giselle's mother fears Giselle will become a Wili. They are maidens who died betrayed by their lovers; restless spirits forced by their evil queen, Myrta, to dance to death any man they encounter.
The villagers entertain the prince's hunting-party, who have stopped for refreshments. On hearing that Giselle is newly engaged to Loys, Bathilde presents her with a gold necklace.
After they leave, Giselle is crowned Queen of the Wine Festival, but Hilarion returns, brandishing Albrecht's sword and hunting horn as evidence. He calls back the hunting party and Giselle, on discovering her lover's duplicity, loses her mind. Tearing off Bathilde's gift, she seizes the sword to kill herself, and dies.
Act 2
It is a clearing in the forest near Giselle's grave. Myrta summons forth the Wilis, and Hilarion, who has stayed too long grieving the fatal revelation that killed the girl he loved, is their first victim.
Giselle's spirit emerges to join the Wilis. Albrecht arrives, bearing lilies to lay on her grave in token of his love and remorse. Giselle forgives him, but Myrta orders his death. Giselle protects him by dancing with him herself until the clock strikes four to mark the dawn. Bathilde arrives and Giselle relinquishes him into her arms.