Waltzing ♫ Hermione

He watched her surreptitiously over the top of his goblet. She'd been careless and was enticed into a circle of wizards that was comprised of five of the oldest, most boring men in wizardom. They tended to gather at the ends of refreshment tables, intent on snaring unwitting flies into their web of never-ending and soporific conversations.

She must have been distracted to have been caught there, with her dainty plate full of cake. He'd seen the discreet sigh as she had smiled politely and taken the offered chair. And he knew what she was thinking, it's what everybody thought... 'It's only one piece of cake and then I can escape...' Annoying how it never worked out that way. Those old men were the acromantula of their kind..., large and wily with too many sticky hands. They'd probably noticed that she was without a date tonight, as had he. He knew she was stuck for the duration if she didn't come up with an escape plan, and soon.

He studied her openly, now that she was engaged. She looked lovely as usual this evening; curls twisted up with half trailing over a bare shoulder, her dress of periwinkle and gold floor-length, full and swishy. It was perfect for dancing, though she'd only been asked once this evening. Watching her, he was not unaware that her distraction from the old spiders was the dance floor; her tapping toes confirmed it as she flicked glances at the couples swaying to the music.

He sighed. He had thought of rescuing her and requesting a dance, but he was afraid that even in the worst of company, she would still refuse him. She was not meant for him and he knew he was not worthy of her, but he refused to have it thrown in his face at a bloody Gala full of his peers. He threw back the rest of his drink and turned away scowling, more at himself than anything else.

⊱ ────── {.⋅ HGSS ⋅.} ───── ⊰

The old woman that had been studying him watching her, strode across the room and laid a hand on his arm, squeezing firmly. "You ought to grasp that inner Gryffindor of yours, Severus," she said bluntly, ignoring his inelegant snort, "And rescue that girl. She needs a good dancing, she does. And we all know how much Hermione loves a good waltz."

Severus waved his hand vaguely in the direction of the crowded tables. "Every single one of her friends is here, Minnie, someone will rescue her soon. She does not need me," he replied, snagging a shot glass of fire whiskey from the tray floating by.

Minerva smirked, snaffled the small glass from his hand and emptied it with one swallow. He had called her 'Minnie', after all. This meant that his tolerance was still at an even keel, the evening had not yet worn it down. She also knew that calling her by her nickname meant he was also at his most vulnerable. She smiled primly at his mock scowl. "Hadn't you noticed that almost every one of her friends is now paired off with someone, Severus? They all have permanent dance partners. The only person who has ever made an effort to see that Hermione had someone to dance with was Ginny Potter. And as she is rather uncomfortably pregnant at the moment..." She let the sentence trail off. She refilled the shot glass with a tap of her pinky and handed it back to him. "Take a shot of liquid courage and rescue that girl," Minerva said firmly, tapping him in the centre of his multi-buttoned chest, "Because I'll have you know that you are the only man that she wants to be rescued by." And with that startling announcement, the old woman kissed him on the cheek and walked off saying, "Do the right thing, Severus, it may just save you both."

Shocked by both the kiss and her words, he stared at her retreating back. "Circe's cats!" he muttered, "The old woman has gone 'round the twist!". He flicked a glance at Hermione and noticed her toes were no longer tapping to the music. She was looking a bit dejected and somewhat lost; though she continued to nod and smile at her captors. Allowing that she managed to break away from those old coots, he was quite sure that she would then immediately leave. She would be gone again, the evening still young, and he would have lost another chance to..., to what? Be publically shunned by someone whose heart he desired? Or could he possibly find those things he most wanted from her? Acceptance, companionship, friendship, love... He looked at the shot in his hand then back to Hermione, making an abrupt decision. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly and tossed the drink back in one. Harmless, silver flames flared over his lips on his next exhale, and he smirked. That refill had to have come from Minnie's private stores, he was sure of it.