Snape's Heart

Chapter Seven

(Dancing, Dancing, Dancing)

The weeks leading up to the Yule Ball were tense and exciting. The school was decked out in festive decorations preparing for the holidays. Everyone was busy making plans and getting ready for the big party. The girls had no problem picking out the boys they wanted to take and unlike the boys, they didn't put off asking them until the last minute.

The night of the Ball, everything was perfect; Dumbledore had reserved a nine piece band/quartet (half chamber music and half rock 'n' roll.) The girls were beautiful in their robes and the boys looked handsome.

Professor Snape stood at the bottom of the stairway that led to the Great Hall waiting for Professor Lee to join him. All he could think about were the weeks before, spending time with Julia, teaching her and learning from her. He cherished the talks that they had together, learning about each others lives and sharing their sadness. But she could always make him smile, with her childlike innocence and just by the sheer fact that she was always so happy about life. She had said to him that no matter how sad she felt, life had so much more to offer and it was just wasteful to sit and mope. He was truly surprised by how much she had really experienced. As a bounty hunter she had been around the world and back, battling demons and such. He would begin to feel that his life was insignificant. Then she would just say something like, 'I could never have walked in your shoes, so don't be so down. You have experienced things that I hope I never will. Unless of course, I go insane or something, then sure, point me to the Dark Lord.'

He smiled to himself as he watched the students file past in pairs. His back was to the stairs when, of all people, Draco Malfoy looked up and gasped.

Snape turned to see what Malfoy was reacting to; what he saw took his breath away. Julia was walking down the stairs wearing a scarlet corset top with silk straps that resembled strings of roses hanging off her porcelain shoulders. She stopped to adjust the buckle on one of her strappy black shoes and Severus could see that her corset was backless except for the silk scarlet ribbon that was laced across her back. Her skirt was black with a slit up to the middle of her right thigh with a Spanish ruffle that ran along the bottom hem. She had a rose tucked in her dark hair that was done in soft curls that cascaded down her back, a black silk choker around her soft white throat and her body shimmered like she was iridescent. Her lips matched the color of her corset and her blue eyes sparkled. She looked at him in his simple black robes as if he were the most delicious thing she had ever seen, and he began to think that maybe they should skip the dance all together.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she tripped on the last step and fell into his open arms. "Well, how embarrassing was that? I can tell you know, these -" she pointed to her shoes "- will not make it thru the night." She smiled at him and he had to use every ounce of his will to not grab her and kiss her madly. Instead, he offered her his arm and lead her into the Great Hall.

The Hall looked wonderful with the main area empty for dancing, little tables dressed in holiday trappings were set up around the edges for the students to sit at. Julia and Severus had apparently made such an entrance that except for the music, the room went silent.

"Looks like no one else knew about our little secret. Everyone seems a bit shocked," Julia whispered.

"At Hogwarts, that is truly a magical feat," he replied, knowing how rumors and information traveled at the school.

Once they arrived at the High Table, Dumbledore got up and walked over to Julia.

"Excuse me my dear, I know it is impolite to not have the first dance with your escort, but would you mind entertaining an old man and giving him the pleasure?" he asked through twinkling eyes.

She looked at Snape for approval, and when he nodded, she turned back to Dumbledore, "Well Great Grand Uncle, I think we can make an exception for you." She got up and took his hand. He walked her to the dance floor and put his hand on her waist. The music began a slow waltz and they swayed along with the music.

"You look beautiful tonight my dear. Severus is a lucky man," Dumbledore complimented.

"I guess there are no keeping secrets from you," she smiled. "Only I feel like the lucky one. I have never been treated like this before. He is wonderful to me."

"Severus has been alone for so long and now that he knows happiness with you, he will not let go of you so easy," he stated.

She looked at him questioningly. "Why would I want him to let me go? I don't."

"I know you don't, dear, but I want both of you to be happy. In my eyes you are both my children. The same way I feel about Harry and his friends, I love you all and would never want to see any of you hurt," he said with a smile, but something behind his eyes made her think that he had more on his mind. She placed her head on his shoulder. She knew he was not about to share.

After they had danced for a few minutes they were tapped on the shoulder by Professor McGonagall, who was waltzing along with Severus. He did not look pleased and was only too happy to cut in and take Julia in his arms. Apparently McGonagall saw them dancing and decided to ask Snape to join her.

"Thank you for saving me," he hissed. "I'm not really fond of dancing, the only one I know is the waltz."

"I can show you how dance," Julia smiled. "I can teach you a lot of things."

He looked into her eyes feeling the sexual tension between them, it was almost unbearable. He had been able to be a gentleman with her whenever they had spent time together, but he was finding it harder and harder to keep himself in check. She, too was beginning to find it difficult to not grab him by the hand and run to the nearest closet. But silently they both wanted it to be a romantic and special event.

After the song had ended the band struck a cord on the electric guitar and the rock began to play. The teachers disappeared off the floor quickly as the students rushed out. Snape felt a tug on his arm and realized that Julia wanted to stay and dance with the students. He was not comfortable with this and she caught on quickly. She pulled him to her and whispered in his ear, "Then watch me dance." No one was looking so she kissed him quickly, sucking lightly on his bottom lip. Kicking off her offending heels she turned and headed to the dance floor. His eyes shone with excitement and he smiled at her and quickly took his seat.

The band played cover tunes of all types of music, both Wizard and Muggle, and they took requests, with a special charm they sounded just like the original artists. After hearing a few songs, Julia requested 'Deeper and Deeper' by Madonna. The music started and she began to move. Severus watched her with a building desire, he wanted her to keep dancing for him and yet he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her fiercely. She was amazing, her body moving rhythmically to the hypnotic beat. She had her back to him and was dancing with a group of students, when she turned he could see the perspiration on her cleavage and he wanted to just eat her up.

After a while, Dumbledore came over to speak with Snape. "She is quite extraordinary, isn't she, Severus?"

"Ummm, yes Headmaster, she is," he said, a little uncomfortable with this situation, seeing as he was currently having dirty thoughts about a woman that the Headmaster looked at as a granddaughter.

"She is quite taken with you, Severus. Do not hurt her," he stated, then patted him on the back and started to walk away. He stopped and added, "You don't have to stay for the whole dance, and you may leave early." And he then returned to his seat. Snape knew what Dumbledore meant. He knew that his being allied with the Order and his false alliance with the Death Eaters could cause trouble. Julia knew all about his past and she knew of his present but he did not tell her of the danger that he was constantly in. He did not want her to know of the things he had to do, nor did he want her to worry every time he had to disappear for a few days; he just hoped that she would forgive him the depression and foulness of his mood when he returned. But he knew in his heart that those moods wouldn't linger as long as they used to, she had such a way of making him smile.

"Won't my father be interested in this bit of news," smirked Draco as he came up to Snape's chair. "Looks like the Potions Master has himself a girlfriend."

"Draco, do you really think that your father would even care? He knows that she is nothing to me. You should worry more about your studies than my personal life. Or should I just take 20 points from Slytherin?" he retorted feeling a little uneasy.

Malfoy left quickly and went over to the bandstand. He quickly whispered something into the lead singer's ear and when they were done the singer announced, "This song is for two special Professors. May they find happiness together."

The band started playing and the song was 'American Woman' by The Guess Who. Julia saw Malfoy smirking in her direction so she blew him a kiss and began to dance to the song, mouthing the words. She began to think that maybe this should be her theme song.

When the song had ended she actually got applause from the High Table. Professors Dumbledore, Flitwick, McGonagall, Snape, Sinistra and the other professors were clapping, Hagrid was cheering. This just infuriated Malfoy to no end so he grabbed his date's hand and walked off the dance floor. Julia walked over to the table and leaned across it to drink a glass of water.

"Did you see that little shit? He thinks that he can push my buttons, hah. Just like his father. A couple of drama queens," she said, using her favorite description of the Senior and Junior Malfoy. Snape stood up and walked around the table toward her. He took her hand and walked to the dance floor. She was stunned but she followed him. He whispered something into the singer's ear and the band began to play 'Wonderful Tonight' by Eric Clapton. She smiled as he took her in his arms and they began to dance. She thought to herself, a bit cliché, but sweet none the less.

A few couples joined them on the floor and even Hagrid was dancing, with young Hermione. She looked pleased with herself, as though she knew it would cheer up the gentle giant who had come to the dance alone.

Severus whispered in her ear, "I hope you haven't tired yourself out too much, I still have a surprise for you."

She replied, "Too tired? Honey, I could never be too tired for a surprise from you."

He took her hand and led her off the dance floor toward the great oak doors. Once out in the hall he pulled her to him and kissed her. He had waited all night for this kiss and he craved the taste of her mouth. She welcomed his kiss and ran her hands up his back under his cape. He stopped and looked at her, pausing to take in her beauty. Then he took off running with her in tow toward his surprise.

* * *

Severus and Julia were heading toward the Dungeons, hand in hand; he was leading her to his surprise. When they reached the door to his chambers he pulled her to him once again and kissed her deeply. They were so lost in each other that they never heard the quiet footsteps in the shadows, never knew that they had a spy.

"I need you to know something before we go any further," she said. "I think I'm in love with you and if that scares you and you want me to leave, I'll go."

He smiled at her and replied in a soft voice, "Shut up, you silly girl, I love you too." Then he kissed her and began to fumble with the door. He stopped kissing her long enough to tell her to close her eyes, he then led her to his bedroom. When he told to open them again she could not believe what she was seeing. The room was completely different from the last time she had visited his chambers. There were furs draped over the bed and candles floating around the room. The fire was roaring and he had a silver tray with chocolates and champagne. He was standing behind her and she turned and placed both her hands on his face.

"This is beautiful, you did this for me? So there is a romantic under all that dark and broody-ness!" she teased.

Then he kissed her and she pulled him with her toward the bed. She began to unbutton his shirt and he started to tug at the ribbon at the back of her corset. She was almost finished with his shirt but as she began to push it off his shoulders to bare his chest and arms, he flinched and pulled away a bit.

"Don't..." he started to say, as but she had already seen the scars on his body, and the mark on his arm.

"Don't make me stop. I know who you are Severus, I know what you have done. Don't you realize I don't care? That was your past and if you let me I want to help those scars to heal." She leaned into him and softly kissed the scars on his chest. She ran kisses up to his neck and down his left arm. She kissed the Dark Mark. When she went back to kiss his lips she could see that he had tears running down his face. "I didn't mean to make you cry," she whispered, and then in attempt to make him smile she added, "Hey, it's not fair. You're the only one with their shirt off."

He smiled at her comment and pulled the final piece of ribbon free; he slid the corset off of her and gently touched her skin. She felt like silk and all he wanted to do was to taste her. He pulled her to him and they fell back on to the bed together and very slowly and sweetly they made love.

***

The fire in the hearth was still burning as Julia lay stroking the arm of the man whom only a few months ago thought of her as a childish twit. She never wanted to leave this bed, never wanted to leave his arms, she wanted to pretend that the world around them did not exist and that there was no war impending, that it was only them.

Severus lay with his body scooped up behind her with his arm draped around her, smelling her hair and drinking in the warmth of her body. He never would have believed that he could have found someone like her. Never would have believed that someone like her would actually love someone like him. And she did, she loved him, he swore to himself at that moment that nothing would ever hurt her. He would be her protector from everything because she loved him. Silent tears ran down his face, but they were tears of joy.

They stayed together through the night, holding and loving each other. They talked and cried and laughed. They made promises and plans. But sometimes plans are better left unmade and promises are hard to keep.