Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. In other words, I don’t own J.K.R.’s characters. Please don’t sue me; I’m not worth it anyway. Once I’m done, I’ll buy them dinner, several good bottles of wine and put them back where I found them.

AN: Hello, just a short piece of fluff for all of you. It popped into my mind upon hearing of the passing of Mike Stoller. I also hope to be posting a chaptered story soon. My absence has been due to life being a sod. Now for a shameless plea for reviews, go on you know you want to hit the review button. You never know, the warm happy feelings produced might make me post the multi-chapter faster. Evil laugh, Shuldham exits left pursued by bear.

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Save The Last Dance For Me

He had watched her all evening. Sometimes he watched with his full and piercing attention, sometimes seemingly casually. On occasion, he skirted the perimeter of the dance floor, unconsciously shadowing her position on it. Even when others engaged him in conversation, he was always aware of where she was. Her presence so engulfed him that no matter whom her partner was he was always conscious of her.

Each of her laughs and each flare of her dress, as a partner spun her, was swallowed by his eyes. Her sheer ebullience and joy in being in the company of good friends spilled into him like a bubbling stream, lighting his soul.

Potter, Weasley, Filius, Arthur and many others all took the opportunity to dance with her, and he watched and treasured each and every movement. Her joy was his.

Long after the band had played the final song, for the third time, and she and the others had exhausted the small hours of the morning with their conversation, he appeared at her shoulder. He ghosted his touch along it and up her neck.

‘I wondered where you had got to,’ she said, shivering at his touch.

‘Minerva and I were talking.’

He bent low so his mouth was level with her ear. ‘May I have the pleasure of the last dance, Hermione?’

She smiled and shivered once again. ‘Don’t I always dance the last dance with you?’

The faintest glimmer of a smile graced his lips, softening his features. ‘Then, shall we?’

She stood gracefully and smiled her goodbyes to everyone, and together they walked across the dance floor towards the exit. His hand rested lightly on the small of her back, and she had her arm firmly around his waist.

‘Eh, I don’t get those two sometimes. I mean the music stopped ages ago. You know, sometimes I think those two are definitely nutters, Harry,’ Ron observed to his friend. Harry cast Ron an amused smile.

At the doorway Severus paused and turned back to face the others. ‘Not all dances require music, Mr Weasley, and I assure you that we never perform this one for the crowd.’

Hermione’s laugh was swallowed by the closing door. Ron looked puzzled for a moment. Harry nudged him and waggled his eyebrows. The next second Ron’s face blazed a brilliant red that matched his hair. ‘I really didn’t want that image, now I need mind bleach,’ he observed quietly.

But, outside in the cool of the evening air two figures stood hugging each other close. They kissed slowly, and as they Apparated home they cared for nothing, except each for the feel of the other and the warmth of their embrace.

Fin