Unexpected healing

Emotional encounter Part 6

Severus

Soon Severus noticed that Albert was spending more and more time with Felicy. He often saw them talking or going for walks. It was like poison filling his heart. It was all happening over again. She chose a brainless, but handsome man over him, it was almost too hard to bear.

But something seemed a little different. Felicy did not seem smitten with Albert. Yes, they talked, a lot and she laughed a lot too, probably about some ridiculous joke Albert had told her. But she did not look at Albert as if in love. He did try to observe them, it was hard however while getting ready for the end of the year. He had never dreaded the end of the year, as much as he did now. She would be gone for so long. The summer break was always long, but this time, it was going to be agonizingly long.

At the end of each year, there was a farewell ball. In honor of those students that would not return to Hogwarts, but rather move on to wherever future would take them. It was always a very popular event, a time also where it became very clear who were the not popular students among the students.

Severus had always dreaded the ball and each year on this particular evening he had excused himself with some malady hindering him to attend. Then later as a staff member of Hogwarts, he had always taken on the duty of controlling the corridors and the grounds for stray students. The first ball night had been great, at the beginning of his time at Hogwarts. He had gone with Lily and in those days, he had loved to dance. But then it had all changed. Dancing was not very popular with the boys and after a while, they had found out that he liked dancing. They had made him dance and then they had laughed at him, told him he was a girl and it was then that he stopped dancing. And the next year Lily had gone with James. He had not gone to the dance since.

But this time, he would have to go. He had to know what would happen with Felicy and Albert. He was sure Albert would take her to the ball. Or at least, be around her permanently.

He informed Dumbledore that he would not be able to perform his usual duty on ball night as he had done every year. Dumbledore seemed surprised but did not press further. Filch the caretaker would fulfill the duty on his own then.

When he arrived at the ball neither Felicy nor Albert had arrived yet. He looked around, not much had changed actually. It was very odd to be at the ball again. The music had not started yet....and then they arrived. Albert was leading Felicy down the steps. She looked beautiful and exciting. He could not help but stare at her it was as if everything else in the room had stopped existing. For a moment, she looked at him. Her eyes mirrored the flames of the candles surrounding them, but he was not sure if he perhaps only seemed to experience them as flames burning inside him. He watched her as she descended, everything about her perfect and in harmony.

He forced himself to look away, walking over to the window, where he hoped to escape the storm inside. Looking into the now dusk grounds he managed to calm down, but only slightly. He could not completely shake off the image of her. The music started and he chose to face them again, of cause she danced with Albert. He had to watch her. She was a good dancer, her movements flowed with the music. Albert, however, was clearly not a good dancer, a small feeling of spite arose in him, a feeling of justification. Severus could feel the music himself now, but he managed to keep control, stiffly he waited.

Second dance, third dance and still they danced, after that they finally came off the dance floor. Albert retreated to fetch something to drink for Felicy and himself. When the music started again, they played a song he knew well and had often danced to earlier, before the bullying. And then he did something unusual, it must have been the influence of the music. He got up and walked briskly over to Felicy asking, rather commanding her; "Dance with me" And without waiting for her return, he took her hand and pulled her to the dance floor.