the_debt_of_time

bold move and smiled up at him as he draped one hand around her waist, the other laced
with her fingers. The moment their eyes connected, he brought their entwined hands
together and brushed his lips against her knuckles. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes,
wondering why every moment of life could not be this wonderful.
"Don't mean to cut in," Lily said as she approached them, "but we're supposed to
dance next." She gestured to Remus and herself before offering an apologetic look to Mia.
"Professor Dumbledore's idea; the Head Boy and Girl, and then each set of prefects."
"Go ahead. I'll go find Jamie and see how much trouble he's getting in." Mia
chuckled as Lily rolled her eyes and took Remus away by the hand.
Mia made her way around a few tables that had been set up on the edge of the large
dance floor. She saw Alice and Frank dancing close together. Mary was being adored at the
other end of the hall by a small group of Hufflepuffs trying to get on her dance card. Otto
Bagman stood next to her with Davey Gudgeon, who was wearing an eye patch after he
had gotten too close to the Whomping Willow a few days ago.
Alecto Carrow was on the arm of Mulciber, and Amycus was missing—banned
from attending the dance like Sirius had been—after he had been caught hexing a third
year by Professor Sprout. Elora Zabini was being scolded by Professor McGonagall for
snogging her current boyfriend, Adrian Abbot—her third "victim" that year. She was still
wearing a locket given to her by her last beau, who was currently nursing a broken arm
after someone cursed his broom, knocking him off of it mid-Quidditch practice.
Snape sat alone in the corner, pouting and glaring at the dance floor, while Remus
whispered something in Lily's ear, so that she tilted her head back, laughing. The sight
made Mia smile, knowing that the two were just friends, but the hateful look on Snape's
face made her pause on her way toward James, who was lingering suspiciously by the punch
bowl.
"Are you even going to bother asking her to dance?" Mia asked Snape.
"I don't know what you're referring to."
"Oh, please. You can't even answer that without taking your eyes off of her. You
have no right to sit back and pout that she's not with you when you don't have the courage
to get up and ask her to dance yourself."