Word Count: 1087

Warnings: NA

Dancing With Intent

Tom caught sight of him the very moment he walked into the ballroom. It was like his entire being was tuned into the other man, which, Tom supposed, it was in a way.

He'd never wanted anything or anyone the way he wanted Harry Potter.

Just the sight of him was enough to make Tom's grasp on his plans for the evening weaken, because he wanted nothing more than to ignore everyone, and everything else, and focus only on Harry.

He didn't go to him immediately though. Instead, he tracked him from across the ballroom as he continued his conversation with Minister Fudge. As the Undersecretary, he couldn't be seen to favour anyone else's company.

Not if he wanted to see his plans succeed.

Besides, Harry's companion was still hanging off his arm, and they always did their best verbal sparring when it was just the two of them alone.

He watched, from the corner of his eye, as Harry greeted the people he knew cheerfully, as he crossed the ballroom to where the Weasley family were already seated around a large table.

He greeted Arthur and Molly first, and then, less formally, the rest of the table. Tom knew that Harry was considered family to the Weasleys, but being brought up the way he had, he knew that propriety was important, even with those he was close to.

He truly was delicious.

Tom had heard whispers of people being surprised that Sirius Black had even bothered to teach Harry about such things, but Tom knew better.

Sirius had taught Harry much more than the basics, because he knew and understood exactly how important Harry would be in politics, even though it was clear that Harry didn't intend to pursue it as a full time career.

While Black chose to ignore almost every part of Pureblood society, he'd still done his duty to his godson.

Harry was a double heir to two political powerhouses. The Black and Potter seats were important. Harry had already taken control of the Potter Lordship, and while Sirius still technically held the Black Lordship, his lack of children and previously announced intent meant that everyone knew that one day, Harry would hold them both.

There weren't many people who didn't want to be in favour with the young man, but Tom had noticed that Harry seemed to have a surprising knack for picking out those who wanted to know him for him, and those that wanted to use him for their own plans.

Turning his attention mostly back to the Minister, Tom listened to him prattle on for a while longer before he politely excused himself with the intent of going to the bar.

Fudge let him, happy enough to find a new audience for the many tales Tom already knew. As long as he was hearing his own voice, Fudge tended to be happy.

Tom had just been served his whiskey when Harry brushed up against him, asking the bartender for a whisky of his own.

"Harry," Tom greeted, his lips tilting up slightly.

Harry returned the look, and nodded his head. "Tom."

"I see that you've acquired yourself a new companion," Tom said, nodding his head at the woman that Harry had entered with. She was blonde, beautiful, and wearing an icy blue dress that complimented her pale skin wonderfully. Tom knew that she had no chance with Harry. "Does she know that you're not going to marry her later?"

Harry snorted. "Fleur Delacour, the French Minister's daughter by the way, if you wanted to make an impression, is an old friend. She's well aware of my proclivities, and she came with me to spend time with Bill. She likes him."

"Mutually beneficial, then?"

"Something like that."

"Perhaps this will be the evening that you allow me to steal a dance then," Tom purred, smirking slightly when he saw the pale pink colouring blossoming on Harry's cheeks.

He did so love to make him blush.

"We shouldn't," Harry pointed out softly. "Dancing at the Summer Ball is practically an announcement."

"Then perhaps it's time to make that announcement," Tom replied, a challenging note to his tone.

Harry tilted his head slightly as he looked at Tom, and then his lips tilted up slightly. "Perhaps it is."

…

The music changed to a slow song, and Tom watched as anyone dancing without their partner left the floor, leaving only couples to slow dance to the last song of the evening.

Draining his drink, Tom excused himself from the conversation he'd been engaged in, and crossed the ballroom. He knew that there were eyes on him, watching his trajectory, and there were whispers about who he could possibly be approaching with such purpose.

He stopped at the Weasley table, where Harry was chatting with the youngest male, Ronald, and tapped Harry on the shoulder. He noticed Ronald's eyes widen slightly, as Harry turned to look at him.

There was a sparkle in the green eyes that had starred in so many of Tom's dreams. Tom offered his hand.

"Dance with me, Harry."

There was a pause, and it almost felt like the entire ballroom held its breath, before Harry slipped his slightly smaller hand into Tom's, and allowed himself to be guided to the dance floor.

Tom spun him into the same pattern as those already dancing with ease, and they swayed together in silence for a few moments.

"Did it have to be the last dance of the night?" Harry asked, but Tom could hear the amusement in his tone, and he knew that Harry wasn't annoyed with him.

"If we're going to be gracing the morning papers, my dear, we might as well make the front page," Tom replied. "It is, as you implied earlier, a declaration of intent."

"What is your intent, Tom?"

Harry gazed up at him, and while he looked as confident as he usually did, Tom could see the small spark of insecurity, hidden in the depths of his eyes.

It was something that nobody else would have noticed, Tom was sure.

"I'm going to court you, Harry. The proper way, because I believe you deserve that, and so much more. And, when the time is right, I intend to put a ring on your finger, and make sure that the entire world knows that you belong to me."

The dance ended, and Tom bowed, before he pressed a kiss to Harry's knuckles.

Harry smiled at him. "You'll belong to me too, Tom."

"I already do."