The Yule Ball: Part Two

Thanks again to Madbrilliant, who continues to be an awesome beta!

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Chapter 5 -- The Yule Ball: Part Two

The Great Hall was spectacular, and the Ball was set to begin in approximately two hours' time, where the students would be free to celebrate, dance, and socialize.

There were some important Ministry officials, and of course, the Minister himself, invited to the celebrations, as well as a few others esteemed ex-professor's. Minerva had written, expressing her delight at having been invited, and Severus had certainly been pleased that she was coming. He personally hated Christmas, but he loved Minerva like family and did miss her in her absence. His one major contribution to the Ball was to enchant the ceiling of the Great Hall with Hermione.

She understood that he hated Christmas, and she respected him by allowing him to exclude himself from the organizations. He had seen her once that entire day and found that when he did not see her, he imagined her showing up to talk to him – but alas, she was preoccupied with teaching. Besides – he had been sorting out the second half of the Registry that morning and afternoon. Despite this, he had time to make his routine visit to the astronomy tower, and the library to see Irma Pince as well as lounge around his totally boring office – still filled with Albus' knick-knacks, just as the former Headmaster would have wanted.

Sighing, he left the office and went to his chambers to get cleaned-up, find appropriate attire for the occasion, and perhaps get in an hour of sleep – keeping in mind that men were far more relaxed in their habits. He was organized enough that if he did this, he would still arrive at the Ball on time wearing robes that Hermione would approve of. He especially wanted her approval that evening, if not for his vanity, than perhaps as an appeal to hers.

An hour later, he was just waking up from his brief nap and walked into the office to retrieve his book of Tennyson before someone saw it lying around and thought he had gone soft. Fawkes greeted him with a soft crooning sound.

"Hello, Fawkes," he said, stroking the fine feathers around bird's head and beak as the creature playfully nipped.

Fawkes made a soft noise, pointing his wing towards the portrait of Albus, indicating that the Headmaster's image had returned for a while. He patted the bird in thanks, went to his chair, and spun it around to look at Albus. "What do you want this time, old man?" he demanded.

"You should be getting ready for the Ball, Severus," he teased, blue eyes twinkling madly still, even as a portrait.

"I was, until this interruption," he murmured back.

"By all means, don't let me stop you. I'm sure you will want to look your best for Hermione now," Albus said, taunting him further.

Severus frowned at Albus and got up, heading to his room. He was dressed in finest tailored dress robes, with the dark green waistcoat instead of black, and his hair neatly pulled back and secured at the nape of his neck with hair elastic. His hair had grown significantly longer, and he liked the length it was now better than before, so he had kept in that way. He cleaned his teeth, which were straight and unstained, due to hours spent on developing potions to make them that way.

He had been unhappy with the report that the Muggle dentist had given him and was in no way going to accept the Muggle torture device they called braces, and accordingly, took steps to ensure he would never had to see a dentist again. Pleased with his appearance, he left his chambers and headed for the Great Hall, arriving at the Staff door and walking in. He was pleased to find most of the staff already there – including Hermione.

He was lucky enough to be the one sitting beside her during the dinner side of things. She was radiant that night, in a lovely set of cream-coloured dress robes, with the inner piece a darker shade, and the outer piece had sleeves that only went to her elbows and had been embroidered with gold along with the bottom of the robe. Her hair was pulled back in a complicated braid, with curls left to frame her glowing features.

"Hermione, you look lovely," he murmured quietly for only her to hear as he sat down beside her.

"You don't look too bad yourself," she replied with a beaming smile.

Two minutes later, the doors opened and both the students and guests filled in the hall, taking their places. Minerva was seated on Severus' other side, and Harry, Ginny, Ron, Julia, Arthur, and Molly all had appropriate places at the extended Head Table, while the students claimed their seat at round tables set for twenty.

"Hermione, it's so lovely to see you!" Minerva said as she hugged her on her way to the seat on the other side. "You look positively radiant, and you did a wonderful job organizing this Ball."

"Thank you, Minerva," she replied.

She smiled at the younger witch, moving around to sit in her seat beside Severus. "She has done well, my boy," she whispered to him.

Severus glanced at Hermione, who was chatting with Ginny Potter, and looked back to Minerva with a slight smile. "I am – proud of how far she has come," he admitted quietly, falling over his words.

Minerva watched his eyes as they had moved over Hermione and felt her mouth turn up with a twinkle in her eyes that would have done Albus proud. She knew that look. It was the one Albus used to give her when they were younger – before he became the Headmaster of the school. She couldn't blame Severus – Hermione was an exceptional woman with brilliance to match his and was quite pleasing to look at.

"Don't think for one moment that I can not see the way you are looking at her, Severus," she said under her breath.

He blanched and turned to look at her sharply. "I have no idea what you mean," he said curtly as diner appeared at the tables, and he stabbed at his moodily.

"Oh, come off it, you prude – I can remember a time when I was getting looks like that from men, and I can read your face as plain as day," Minerva said dismissively. "Do not hurt her. I'm quite fond of her, you know."

"Apparently, so am I," Severus growled, causing Minerva to laugh.

"Don't be sour, Severus. There is nothing wrong with having feelings. Actually, most people embrace them," Minerva replied tartly. "Don't think for one moment that just because I don't see you every day, that I don't know you treat her as an equal because you have feelings of some description for her."

"Minerva, must we discuss this at dinner?" he snapped, scowling.

"Now, now, it isn't fitting for a Headmaster to look so upset," Minerva teased. "We wouldn't want the students to think you were always this grumpy."

"I am, now be quiet and eat your dinner," Severus instructed, making her smile like the cat she was.

Dinner went on pleasantly, without too many more disruptions, and after a while, Severus managed to train the scowl off his features and replace it with something akin to indifference or disinterest. After dinner, the tables were swept to the sides of the hall, a huge dance floor was created in the centre, and an orchestra appeared and struck up a fine tune to dance to.

"Minerva, would you care to dance?" Severus asked stiffly.

"I would love to, my dear," she said, beaming.

Severus stiffly offered his arm and led Minerva to the floor with him, placing a hand on her waist and gracefully pulling them into a sensible waltz. As far as dance partners went, he was lucky to get Minerva – not too many of the other female professors could dance too well – least of all Rolanda. She wasn't the best, but then again, he had taken dancing lessons for many years just because his mother had wanted him to as a child. It was only just paying off in his older years, even if when he was younger, he thought it was a stupid thing to learn.

The song had yet to draw to a close, but Severus suddenly felt Minerva moving them towards the edge of the floor as if to leave off. He was content to follow, until he spotted Hermione in the direction they were heading, and began to protest. He was cut short when they came to a halt before her, and Minerva released him and thrust Hermione in his direction.

"I am far too old to be dancing quite so much, Severus," Minerva said dramatically. "Hermione, be a dear and dance with him. We wouldn't want to allow his skill on the dance floor to go to waste, would we?"

"Of course not, Minerva," Hermione said with a polite smile.

Severus could only bite his tongue and take Hermione in his arms, even while scowling at Minerva, who was apparently trying to play matchmaker that evening. He moved them out into the dance Minerva had abandoned, although this time he felt timid and had to catch himself a couple of times as he almost stood on her foot. Hermione simply had smiled when he did that and urged him to continue their dance.

"I must apologize for my clumsiness, Hermione," he said with a heavy sigh. "I am not usually so club-footed."

"It's alright, Severus – Minerva did rather throw you into the deep end," Hermione said dismissively. "I understand you may not have wanted to dance with me..."

"That's not it at all," he cut across.

Hermione contemplated what he just said and felt a surge of gratification flow through her. She liked him, and for whatever reason, he was trying to open up to her a little more every time they were together. She knew it would be a long time before he would truly trust her, but she was determined to try and encourage him. She looked up and flashed him a brilliant smile and was warmed when he quirked up one side of his mouth in response to that.

"It doesn't hurt you to smile, does it?" she teased.

"Not as much as you believe it to hurt," he said bluntly.

"It's nice when you do smile," she said, looking back down and letting herself get swept back into the dance once more.

Severus allowed the other side of his mouth to quirk up to for a moment before he simply relaxed it into a content expression. He liked her in his arms. Something about her felt just like she belonged there – something just like home...