Before The Past

Ch. 13

"Now, I'm sure most of you by now know how to dance, if not I suggest you watch and learn." Snape said slowly.

He turned on a waltzing song. The boys and girls who knew how to dance stood up and awkwardly walked to find partners. I looked over at Draco, and he looked at me. We walked over to each other, but then I felt a hand grab mine and twist me around and the first steps began. I looked up to see him again, it was Matteo.

He had shown up more often after our talk that night. I saw him more often and talked to him more often. For some reason, everyone else seemed to get distant. Pansy and I were still extremely close, but Draco wouldn't talk to me anymore.

At this point I had figured out why. It wasn't because he was mad, it was something else, someone else. I thought it was perhaps because of what Matteo said was true. They all knew more than what they could tell me.

Matteo had told me three things to make myself seem ready.

One: Keep your reputation.
In order to make sure that they know to trust me enough I have to make sure I do everything perfectly. I had to talk right, act right, be right. If I made one mistake it was back to square one. The Dark Lord wanted precision. He couldn't risk losing again.

Two: make the right choices.
This one tied into the first one, but it's more directed to who and what I choose. If I'm asked, I must do as I'm told. If I'm expected, I must go beyond what I'm asked. I must choose who I talk to carefully.

Last, but most important,

Three: stay ruthless.
I had to be cold, rude, and 'like a bitch' as he said it. Once again I have to do as I'm asked, no matter what it means and what the cost may be. I can't trust anybody, my bestfriend one day could end up my enemy the next.

He warned me that I can't tell anyone what I know unless they already know, or the Dark Lord allows it to be shared. The death eaters will take any opportunity they can to snitch on someone and gain his respect even more.

The dance was almost like a routine. It was one of the last ones Umbridge taught me. She explained it as the eye of a hurricane. Something I didn't think she knew about until I figured out it was just what she was told.

I realized though, that she was right. Whether she knew it or not; in which she probably did; she was always right. There was chaos all around us, but as the circles grew smaller, the dancing got slower. When it reached the middle it was as if a small music box was playing, the slow enchanting couple dancing in the middle.

That couple was us.

I looked to realise that we were in the middle, dancing slowly and perfectly to each others steps. It was a dance where everyone's was different, the only thing that was the same was the direction and pace everyone was going.

I met Matteo's eyes and he seemed to be smiling, genuinely smiling. His hands were cold in the beginning, but were filled with warmth soon after. I gave a small smile and looked down at our feet. He let go of my waste and grabbed my chin, raising my face to his.

"It's not wise to look down at our feet, you'll overthink it too much." He said calmly.

"Right, of course." I sighed.

He placed his hand back on my waste and we continued. When the song ended, we bowed to each other and I saw Draco was staring at us. He had found Pansy as his partner instead, but seemed furious.

The students who couldn't get the dancing down and just watched clapped as we finished. I smiled at Matteo and a new song began. He offered his hand, but I declined and went over to Draco.