Preferred Customer Normal Preferred Customer 2 134 2003-08-21T00:29:00Z 2003-08-21T00:29:00Z 3 1102 4888 Dell Computer Corporation 124 34 5971 9.3821
A/N: This isn't the last chapter, so don't worry. Sorry it's been taking awhile to get these up, but thanks anyway for sticking with me! I love your reviews!
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Standing outside the Great Hall, Draco took in a deep breath. He could faintly hear the muffled music from behind the tall doors, the only thing separating him from Fire. His hand was gently placed in the door, contemplating when exactly to open it.
The music grew ten times louder as the door finally swung open. A few people's heads turned out of curiosity, but no one knew who was who because of the masks, so their attention quickly turned back to what they were doing. For this he was glad.
He stood in the entryway for a few brief moments, taking in the bustling scene. People were talking and laughing; others were dancing with their dates in the center of the decorated ballroom. A few people were standing around on the sides, nibbling at the food on the tables set up along the left wall. At the very end of the table was a small group of girls standing around the punch bowl, giggling happily and sharing gossip.
The punch bowl...
Draco made his way over to the group of girls, being careful not to bump into anyone. Or rather, draw anyone's attention. Everyone in the school thought he'd stayed back in the common room by himself, not wanting to go to some 'silly dance'. He wanted to keep up his reputation, anyway. The only person he'd sacrifice that for was Fire.
To hi dismay, there weren't any maroon-robed girls at the punch bowl yet. That was all right; it gave him a little bit of time to get used to actually being at the dance. He leaned casually up against the wall, distinctly hidden behind the group of girls.
-
Four songs had passed already, and Ginny was starting to get anxious. A faster and louder song came on next, almost as if it was her cue to leave. Harry didn't seem to want to let go, pulling her closer to him when she drew back.
"Harry." she breathed in his ear.
His face turned slightly toward hers. "Yes?"
She frowned, pushing gently away. "Harry, I'm going to sit this one out. Er... sorry."
With that, she fled in the opposite direction, careful of not looking back until she reached the long table, covered in various assortments of food. When she was safely beside it, she looked back long enough to see that Harry had begrudgingly gone off to talk to Seamus and Dean, on the other side of the ballroom. Good.
She made her way slowly down the table, looking curiously at the people standing nearby. Any one of them could have been Ice, she thought.
No one seemed out of the ordinary.
By now, she was in front of the glass bowl, filled with bright red punch. The music seemed to be getting louder, the longer she waited. Fiddling with the strings on her robes, she looked anxiously around. Where was he? Surely she had waited long enough by now.
Hermione and Ron dancing near her, holding each other in a way that suggested something more than friends, which made Ginny smile. She gave them a little wave, but they didn't seem to notice. Maybe they didn't recognize her. The masks everyone had bought were pretty good at hiding one's identity.
She sighed and leaned against the table. There was nothing she could do but wait. Though she had to admit, even waiting was better than being plastered to Harry all night.
At that exact moment of her thought, a slow song began playing, the first one of the night. The lighting of the room dimmed, so that the only light was coming from the candles floating gracefully, high above everyone's heads. She watched earnestly as couples pulled each other closer. She looked for Ron and Hermione but they, too, were lost in the sea of couples.
A firm hand grabbed her suddenly from behind, and before she knew what was happening, someone was leading her briskly onto the dance floor.
"Oh!" a surprised gasp escaped her lips as an arm wrapped itself smoothly around her waist. She looked up and saw a stunningly silver mask. The same silver as the writing in the book... her breath caught.
"Ice...?" she whispered. He said nothing, only held more tightly, as if he was afraid she would leave if he were to let go.
She finally put her arms around him too, clinging securely around his neck, her face resting perfectly against his dark robes. She couldn't tell what color they were, she thought briefly; it was too dark where they were dancing.
This was the moment she'd dreamed of for months. It seemed unreal; she couldn't believe it was actually happening. She breathed in his scent, a spicy, clean-cut smell, and tried to memorize it. She was amazed by how perfectly she fell in his arms, as if she was made to go there; to stay there forever.
-
She was in his arms. He could hardly believe it. He was holding Fire, in his arms. It was just too good to be true.
He had been waiting for only about ten minutes when he'd spotted her. Standing by the punch table with an anxious, yet innocent look about her. The lights had already dimmed, so he hadn't gotten that grand of look at her yet.
But by the perfect way she fit in his arms, he had a feeling her looks were perfect as well. Although, strangely enough, that didn't seem to matter to him. Not this time. All he cared about was that she was finally in his arms.
His arms were tightly wrapped around her small waist, her arms now loosely setting on his shoulders. She'd had a death grip on him right away, but loosened up once they became more comfortable with each other's touch. Her face was buried deep in his chest; all he could do was smell the cinnamon scent of her hair.
The moment was perfect. That was the only way to describe it. He just hoped that the song would never end, and that they could keep slowly spinning together for the rest of the night. Not once did it cross his mind that the song indeed would end, soon, and then they'd have to actually meet each other.
He couldn't keep the mask on forever.
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A/N: Stay tuned to find out what happens when the lights come back on!