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Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 9 ~ The Mixer
The Order meeting went off smoothly. Albus informed the squad leaders of the progress being made routing out the deatheater cells. More informants were coming forward after seeing how successfully the Order was decimating the rogue wizards. It was all positive news. During the meeting Severus sat at the back of the room, where he always sat, his black eyes burning a hole in Hermione’s back. The witch must have been aware of it on some level, because she kept rolling her shoulders as if trying to shrug something off of them.
Severus knew he had gotten a rise out of Hermione when he took her hand and instructed her on slicing tomatoes, his double-entendre clearly understood by the witch. She had stared up at him, and he could see her attraction to him in her eyes. If Tonks had not been there, he might have kissed her at that moment to see what her reaction would be. He had never really noticed how beautiful her eyes were, flecked with gold when the light hit them right. She also smelled of jasmine, a scent he had always found pleasant.
When Tonks left the room after his suggestive comment to Hermione, the witch had started as if waking up from a dream, gave him a rather startled look and without a word crossed the over to the kitchen table and started pouring the pumpkin juice. He was tempted to follow her, but thought better of it. When Tonks told her to join him to finish cutting up the vegetables for the salad, he couldn’t resist commenting on how she had been avoiding him, in a roundabout way, of course. Her response of chopping the top off the carrot and her declaration that she was no longer running had thrown him. Definitely a clear warning that she could handle herself. He’d like to think it was really a challenge.
Kingsley said there was supposed to be music at the mixer tonight. Severus enjoyed music, despite the fact that he didn’t usually participate in dancing. Minerva being the exception. She wouldn’t leave him alone until he tripped the light ad nauseam with her. Maybe he could hem Hermione into a dance. A nice, slow, close one. He’d be watching for his chance.
The meeting over, he and Kingsley quickly cleared the room and magically enlarged it, shifting the chairs to positions along the wall and moving the tables off to the side where they would be laden with food and drink. Tonks and Hermione brought out the food, and more guests started arriving. Remus Lupin showed up, looking a bit pale. The full moon had recently passed. Most of the Weasleys put in an appearance. Molly, Arthur, Percy, Ginny, Bill and Ronald. Fred, George and Charlie were not in evidence tonight. Severus was especially appreciative of the twins’ absence. They were terrible pranksters. Last time they were at the mixer, they had added a lust potion to the punch that was invoked when you said their surname Weasley. Then they walked about asking people to introduce them. Luckily it was a weak potion, easily nullified with a built-in catch phrase. Remarkable really what those young wizards could come up with. Too bad they wasted their talents on creating jokes and pranks.
Severus pressed himself against the wall as Sybil Trelawney swooped by like a huge glittering dragonfly, trailing scarves behind her. Sybil had a crush on him for the past twelve years, and no matter how he tried, he could not get the woman to get the message he was not interested. The divination teacher insisted their love was written in the stars. Severus wished he could find a large celestial eraser. He hoped she stayed away from the wine tonight…last time she got drunk she had forced him into a dark corner, caressed his fly and told him she wanted to read the bumps on his head. It had taken weeks for him to recover from that experience.
A few Ministry officials were in attendance as well. Severus would avoid them as they would no doubt do with him. His snub of the Order of Merlin was still a sore point. How the Ministry expected him to accept a medal from them after all the hell they put him through, was beyond him. They treated him like a criminal for weeks, and suddenly they thought they could patch it up with a bit of gold on a string. No. He refused to ease their consciences. They could all kiss his pale ass. Severus looked around to see if he could locate Hermione. The witch was nowhere to be seen. He walked to the kitchen to see if she might be fixing more food, but no one was in there. He exited the kitchen and saw her descending the stairwell. She was wearing a form-flattering blue dress. It was low-cut in front, but not too low, showing just the right amount of creamy cleavage. Her chestnut hair was piled on her head, a few strands framing her face. She looked delicious. The Potions Master watched her descend the staircase with hooded eyes.
The moment she hit the main floor, wizards surrounded her. The Potions Master scowled at this. Yet Hermione managed to break through the crowd, smiling politely and shaking her head in negation. She walked over to Albus, kissed him and engaged him in conversation. Severus walked over to the liquor table and poured himself a firewhiskey, his eyes locked on Hermione as she hugged Ron Weasley, who was introducing her to a pretty young blonde witch on his arm. Most likely his girlfriend. Ron worked with his father at the Ministry and had a secure position. No doubt Molly was pushing him to marry and start a brood of redheaded Weasleys of his own. Suddenly the music started. It was quite upbeat and the floor cleared out so the dancing could start. Severus watched as couple after couple got on the floor. He stared at Ronald Weasley, who was doing some kind of odd robotic, popping like dance. He kept the rhythm surprisingly well. His girlfriend was bouncing her derriere in quite an alarming manner and several wizards had their eyes glued to it, their irises jumping up and down in tangent with her motions.
Severus was surprised to see Hermione drinking wine, quite freely. After a couple of glasses, she too got on the dance floor. The young woman could really dance. Although she wasn’t bouncing like Weasley’s girlfriend, many male eyes were on her as well. She had a time getting off the dance floor. He watched as she crossed over to a chair and sat down, fanning herself with her hand. A wizard brought her another glass of wine, which she took, smiling as he joined her and engaged her in conversation. He was a good-looking young wizard, one of those pretty boys that turned witches’ heads when he passed. Severus would have liked to snap his neck.
The Potions Master started when the wizard suddenly placed a hand on Hermione’s thigh and squeezed it. Hermione looked at the wizard, her brow slightly furrowed. Severus didn’t see what happened next because a couple of guests walked through his line of vision. When he could see again, the wizard was leaning back in his chair, wine all over his white shirt, and holding what looked like a napkin over his right eye. Hermione was nowhere to be seen. Severus smirked. He looked around and located her by the food table, a slight scowl still on her face. A slow song came on and the Potions Master walked over to where the witch was standing, and pretended to look over the food.
“Really, Hermione. Must you assault the guests?” he purred at her.
“Yes, if they can’t keep their hands to themselves. He’s lucky that’s all I did to him,” she growled, her amber eyes narrowed as she looked over at the wine drenched wizard, “Just because he’s young and good-looking doesn’t mean he can paw all over every witch he spends five minutes with. Really.”
“Generally being young and good-looking is a license to do just that,” Severus commented, turning and standing beside Hermione, his hands clasped behind his back. “It’s the old, ugly wizards like myself that are denied that privilege.”
Hermione looked up at him for a moment, then looked back across the crowd.
“You’re not that old,” she replied. “Thirty-nine in wizarding years is like your early twenties in muggle years.”
Severus arched an eyebrow at her.
“So, am I to assume, by your neglecting to comment, that I am ‘that ugly’?” he asked her.
Hermione let out a giggle. It was a rather inebriated giggle at that.
“No, I did that on purpose. You’re not that bad,” she said. Then she looked at him, startled. “I must be really buzzed to have told you that.”
Hmm. Buzzed eh? Maybe he could use this to his advantage.
“Since you’re so buzzed, maybe there’s something else you’d like to tell me,” the Potions Master said in a low voice, his black eyes glittering. Hermione looked at him a moment, then blushed.
“No, there’s nothing I have to tell you,” Hermione said. Nothing other than she kissed his golem and it turned her on. She’d just keep that little bit of information to herself.
“See?” Severus said to her.
Hermione frowned up at him.
“See what?” she asked.
“See, we can have a conversation without biting each other’s head off,” he replied.
“That’s only because I’m feeling really good right now, and refuse to let you ruin it for me,” Hermione said. “I came to a decision today that I wouldn’t let you affect me.”
The wine was certainly loosening the witch’s lips.
“Affect you how, Hermione?” the Potions Master asked her silkily, leaning in a bit. Hermione immediately registered his proximity and stepped away.
“Any type of way,” she snapped.
“I see,” Severus said. He was silent a few moments, then asked, “Hermione, would you like to dance?”
“With you?” she asked, her brow furrowed.
“Of course with me. You think I would ask you to dance with someone else?” he responded.
“But you don’t dance with anyone but Minerva,” she said looking at him.
“Tonight, I’d like to dance with you,” he replied, “Let’s call a truce for one dance, Hermione.”
Hermione looked up at him, and remembered the golem kissing her. His eyes flickered a little as he saw desire then uncertainty pass over her face. Deciding quickly, he took her hand and led her out to the dance floor. She didn’t resist. The Professor drew her close, placing one hand on her waist, and taking the other in his hand. Then they began to sway slowly in time with the music.
Hermione was surprised at how fluid the Potions Master was. He spun with her gently as they moved through the crowd. Quite a few eyes were on them. No one had seen the Professor dance with anyone but Minerva for years. Tonks, watching from the sidelines, nudged Kingsley in the ribs and grinned like a Cheshire cat.
Hermione was enjoying the dance. The Potions Master’s smooth moves were soothing, and without knowing it, she rested her head against him, closing her eyes. She could hear his heartbeat, strong and steady.
Severus was very aware of Hermione’s curves resting against his body. It had been a long, long time since he had held a woman this close. She had leaned her head against his chest, content to let him guide her around the floor at will. It was quite nice. If it wasn’t for all the eyes that were on them, he would have danced her off into some dark corner, and found out if Hermione would let him kiss her. Maybe do a little more than kiss her. No, he would have to wait.
“You seem to be enjoying the dance,” he said to the witch leaning against him.
“You dance divinely,” she responded, lifting her head and looking up at him with a smirk.
In answer, the Potions Master suddenly pushed Hermione outward, spun her neatly beneath his arm, drew her back and dipped her, following her down, his face very close to hers. He held her poised over one arm, his body resting lightly against hers. Hermione’s amber eyes were wide with surprise.
“Thank you,” he said to the breathless witch, his lips close enough to kiss her, before he straightened and continued the dance. That had been one smooth move. Everyone on the floor noticed it. Finally, the song came to an end, and the Professor escorted Hermione off the floor.
He walked her back over to the food table. The witch looked slightly dazed, and it wasn’t because of the wine. When Severus dipped her, she had hoped that he would kiss her. But he wouldn’t have, not with everyone watching. She looked up at him.
“Thank you for the dance, Severus,” she said.
“You’re quite welcome,” he replied. He was about to ask her would she like another glass of wine, when he spotted Sybil Trelawney pushing her way through the guests, and making a beeline straight toward him. She looked like she’d had one too many. His eyes widened.
“Ah, Hermione, I’m afraid I must go,” he said quickly, not taking his eyes off the approaching Professor. Hermione was suddenly very disappointed he was leaving.
“Why?” she asked him.
“Something just came up,” he said, darting through the crowd and disappearing like a ghost. He had cast a disillusionment charm on himself.
“How rude,” Hermione said to herself. But then again, this was Severus. Why would she think him to be anything other than rude?
Hermione felt someone poking her in the shoulder. She turned to see Sybil Trelawney staring at her through those magnifying lenses she called glasses. She really did look like a big dragonfly.
“Where’d he go?” Sybil asked, her voice slightly slurred.
“Where’d who go?” Hermione responded, perplexed.
“My man, that’s who. The one you were just crawling all over on the dance floor, you little trollop!” the drunken women said accusingly.
“Who? Severus?” Hermione said, blinking at the woman disbelievingly.
“Yeesh,” Sybil replied, swaying slightly, “Our love is written in the starrrrrs.”
Hermione suppressed a laugh. Now she knew why Severus had left so quickly. Hermione pointed Sybil in the direction Severus had taken.
“He went that way,” she said, trying not to grin at the irate woman.
“All right. You just stay away from him. He’s mine, understand?” Sybil said, poking Hermione’s shoulder again for emphasis.
“Completely,” Hermione assured her.
“Good,” Sybil said, turning in the direction Hermione pointed.
Hermione watched as Sybil started after Severus. Her mind flickered back to Severus’ comment about her running from him like a rabbit through the halls of Grimmauld Place.
“Sybil, wait!” Hermione said, following the witch.
The Divination teacher turned back.
“What?” she asked frowning.
“You want me to help you find him?” Hermione offered, grinning wickedly.
“Sure,” Sybil replied, looking at her in a much more friendly way.
“Okay, you go that way and I’ll go this way,” Hermione said. Both women took off through the crowd.
The dance had been nice, but payback was a bitch.
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A/N: This was an evil twist I just have to explore. Hermione helping Sybil to find Severus. Oh man, just think of the possibilities. Lol. Please review.
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