Yule Ball AU "Shall We Dance, Miss Granger?"
"Professor Lupin!" called Hermione. "Glad to see you".
“Oh, hello”, he was a little bit embarrassed, giving her a friendly smile. "By the way I'm not your professor anymore."
For a moment her eyes went blank. Lupin noticed it and immediately tried to correct the situation.
"You're charming, Hermione", his delicate gaze outlined her silhouette. “You’ve grown up and… look beautiful”
The compliment from his mouth sounded especially nice. Doubts about her own recklessness was gone. But the words just didn't come out.
“Thanks”, she drawled, biting her lower lip contentedly. "Maybe… I hope you're not busy, I'd like to…"
Trembling all over, Hermione froze and suddenly looked at him bravely.
"Will you dance with me?"
Her request was truly embarrassing for Lupin – Hermione didn't even doubt it. But she couldn't know for sure and secretly hoped that he wouldn't find anything reprehensible in this. Just a dance among the same dancing couples. His face was calm, slightly surprised, but not at all striving for an objection. He almost did this step.
Music stopped. Unexpectedly and treacherously. Applause blew up the heated air.
"And now let's greet our champions again!" Dumbledore's voice came from behind her.
"Hermione!" Victor appeared out of nowhere next to her. "Let's go?"
She glanced at Lupin with disappointment.
"It's fine", he said reassuringly. "We'll definitely dance another time".
Fate has a bad sense of humor. She had already become a habit of deceiving expectations. A year later they no longer met in the magnificent decoration of the hall but in the dark corridors of Grimmauld Place: there was hardly time for dancing. At the wedding of Bill and Fleur he walked around the tent and appeared inside only a couple of minutes before the invasion of the Death Eaters. Every new opportunity was doomed.
She danced with many people: with Ron, with Harry, with Dean Thomas at the anniversary of the victory, with Mr. Weasley at Ginny's wedding, with someone else… Many years have passed, many holidays, many dances with the wrong partners. Only this little stupid unfulfilled desire still did not go from Hermione's head. Someday… And she did not even hope.
Hermione turned at the voice and faced the owner of the inevitably boyish smile. She would recognize it everywhere. As well as this palm extended to her in invitation.
“Probably this promise was delayed for about ten years”, Lupin remarked ironically. "However, I will take a chance"
"You haven't called me 'Miss Granger' for about ten years", Hermione chuckled, slowly answering. "What's the matter, professor?"
“Exactly,” he smirked. "Subordination is an important part of teaching. Especially with younger colleagues. Still, I don’t want to fail, especially in front of competitors. Everyone tries to take you away."
“Well, then you should hurry up."
Squeezing her fingers, so thin and weightless compared to his, he pressed them to his chest – to his faithful and ardent heart.
"Shall we dance, Miss Granger?"
"With great pleasure, sir."
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