starlight | forever young

We Have Time

The dance floor glowed golden beneath their feet, shining bright beneath each step. Regulus led her into the middle of the floor, into a small clearing at the center. He smiled at her as they stood facing one another.

"Your hair is turning teal," he whispered.

"Oh dear," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. Instead of going back to mint as she'd had it, though, it turned a deep caramel brown and Regulus smiled - he wondered whether this might be her natural shade for it looked so pretty on her.

He bowed to her gently, his arm flowing out from his side like a flare off a comet. She bit her lips and watched, cheeks pink, and energy palpable as he stood upright once more. "Come closer," he instructed, and she did. "Closer still," he said, and when she'd stepped right up, Regulus held up one palm at about shoulder height and slid the other over her waist, pulling her even closer to him, so that their bodies nearly touched - a mere hand's breadth apart. "Now.. give me your hand," he said lowly. She slide her hand up against his palm and he closed his fingers around hers, his eyes staring directly into hers. "Relax yourself and follow my lead, don't worry, I won't let you fall or anything, alright?"

"Alright," she said quietly, staring up into his eyes.

Regulus paused, waiting for the right beat in the music, then with a strong hand against her back, he pulled her into him and began the steps. It only took a couple before he realized she, too, knew what she was doing and he laughed as she spun her gently. She executed the spin perfectly, landing back in his arms with a sparkle to her eyes.

"You know how to waltz, too," he commented.

"Your most noble house is not the only house which teaches their children proper manners and etiquette, Mr. Black," she said in a mock-scolding tone.

Regulus smirked.

They were fluid, moving across the dance floor in perfect sync so that their movements were graceful and flowery. The Waltz of the Flowers, this particular version was called, and Regulus was as impressed with Maryrose's knowledge of the dance as she was with his, their movements always perfectly timed with one another so that they broke apart and came back together again and again, weaving between the other dancers who moved with less precision. Some of the others on the dance floor were glancing at them - including Annalee Mackinnon, who was on the arm of some Ravenclaw boy that was barely moving his hips to the beat of the music. Maryrose smiled at Annalee as they passed and Annalee stared longingly after them. Maryrose looked up into Regulus's face and laughed, her cheeks flushing the longer they moved. She twirled and her skirt fluttered and Regulus was always there, true to his word, catching her as she dipped and moved along, his arms holding her steady as the room spun about them.

Maryrose was breathless when the song's pace changed and Regulus slowed and pulled her into him, looping both his arms around her. She could feel his hands shake ever so slightly, could sense his nervousness. His reflected her own so exactly that it was almost hard to tell where hers ended and his began. Which was fine. She rather enjoyed being all tangled up in Regulus Black.

His hair hung over his forehead as he stared into her eyes. He was breathing harder than usual, his chest rising and falling. She loved the way the pink lay across his nose and high cheekbones. "Your eyes are dancing," she whispered.

Regulus laughed.

The music was much gentler now, the notes falling over them setting a slower pace. She loved the way his hand felt on the small of her back. She stared up at him.

Suddenly, they were crashed into by Peter Pettigrew. Sirius grinned, having just spun Peter rather like a top from where he stood a foot away, his eyes shining with mischief. "Watch out, little brother," he said jovially. "Can't be hogging the best part of the dance floor for yourself. There are other couples who want to waltz, too."