Dance With A Serpent

The Terrace

Hermione closed her eyes as the pink shockwave passed trough her.

She opened her eyes to see the last remnants of pink strike the walls and disappear. As it evaporated, it left a weird pulling sensation in her stomach.

Tremulously, sound rose in the Great Hall. The musicians woke up and found their instruments.

Ginny looked past Seamus at Harry. Harry smiled at her and stretched out his hand.

Ginny returned a smile that might have told a thousand words. They stood up and took to the dance floor.

Slowly by slowly more couples trickled on to the floor.

Dean and his date were already twirling happily in each others' arms. Neville was laughing at something Luna had said.

Even the Slytherin's were having a good time. Goyle held Parkinson tightly as her big purple dress flowed with their motions.

Hermione felt the pulling sensation grow rapidly, but she decided he would have to come to her.

He would have to bow to her for once. He would have to leave his pretty date and ask Hermione to dance. Yes without a doubt. Hermione looked around for her dark dance partner.

Snape was nowhere to be seen. She was beginning to feel slightly nauseated.

Ron stood up and made his way to a table at the far back. Tara seemed relived when he asked her to dance. The poor girl had only felt the sickening feeling and not known whom to go to. Now she smiled happily holding the hero Ron Weasley by the hand, he led her up the room.

Hermione looked at the only other occupant from her table. Seamus. The boy took a deep breath and stood up. He straightened his robe and walked steadily across the room.

Hermione craned her neck to see were he was heading. Her stomach flipped and her eyes bulged, Seamus strides were leading him directly towards the Slytherin table.

As the Irish boy approached Malfoy stood up and too straightened his robes.

Hermione's eyes nearly popped out. Malfoy and... Malfoy and Seamus?!

She was getting really nauseous now, not because of the boys looking at one another, Malfoy smirking and Seamus glaring. No Snape was defiantly taking his time.

Malfoy was the first to speak, "Thought you said you wouldn't come."

"Things happened."

Seamus took a stepped closer and averted his eyes from the smirking Malfoy.

"So shall we dance?" he asked.

"It's either that or throwing up, it was a tough choice," Daphne Greengrass said and took his reluctant hand.

"I saw you tell Draco you wouldn't come," she told him sourly as he took her unenthusiastically in his arms.

"I know. I saw you staring at my humiliation," Seamus replied curtly.

They took a few steps before Seamus opened his mouth again. "Why did you trip my date?" he asked her.

Daphne glared past his shoulder. "It had nothing to do with you. Now shut up so we can get through this." And they danced.

Hermione looked away from the couple and tried to find Snape. She was felling really ill now.

Blow her pride! She didn't want to throw up. That might be worse than asking Snape to dance.

Might.

She stood up to look for him.

As she walked around she felt the feeling in her stomach pulling at her.