Nyctophobia - Sirius Black

Chapter 7

Black smirked at her, putting one hand on her waist, and taking her right hand in his. Ruby stiffened, but put her hand on his shoulder. Filch started the music, and Ruby watched another couple's feet, careful to follow their steps.

She ended up stepping on her partner's toes many times, but he barely seemed to notice, so she guessed it hadn't hurt that much. The turns of the dance were more complicated, but Ruby felt much more comfortable, since he was only touching her hand.

As soon as the music ended, she took several steps away from him, nearly colliding into another person. She mumbled an apology, not bothering to see who it was, and melted into the crowd. She moved quickly towards the exit, and breathed a sigh of relief when she was finally out of the common room.

She didn't really know where to go, since all the older students were in their common rooms learning to dance, or practicing if they already knew how. She eventually decided to go outside for a walk.

First years chased each other across the lawns, while second and third years either joined them or studied in the sunshine. It reminded her of home, although here the kids were well-dressed, and well-fed, whereas in Spinner's End they were malnourished and in rags, but still happy.

Ruby hadn't really noticed how thin she and Severus had actually been when they were young. Everyone around them was like them. Now, however, she could see that even still, her and her brothers were much skinnier than everyone else. Maybe that's how they were always able to fit in clothes made for much younger children.

Ruby took off her shoes and socks, and sat down on the grass, her feet in the water of the Black Lake. She lay on her back with her eyes closed, just enjoying the fresh air since she didn't have her books with her. It wasn't something that they had in Cokeworth, since there were so many factories.

"Aren't supposed to be in your common room?" Ruby's eyes snapped open to see a few kids standing around her head. A Slytherin, a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff.

"No. They said I could go."

"Oh. Are they done learning how to dance?"

"No. They just said if we weren't going, we didn't have to learn how to dance."

"You're not going? Why not?" The Hufflepuff girl seemed shocked that she wasn't going, while the Slytherin boy looked like he thought her idea was wonderful.

"I don't want to."

"Why not? You might meet your Prince Charming. And anyway, you'll have to know how to dance before you meet him, because the prince and the princess always dance when they meet."

"Because I don't like dancing."

"I know what you mean." The boy grumbled. "Mother and Father always make me go to their balls, and I'm supposed to dance with Amaryllis Parkinson, because we're going to get married when we get older, but I hate dancing, and she hates me because she's a year older."

"You could try spending a lot of time at the punch table." Ruby suggested. "Or just sit down with her, and if your parents ask, you're getting to know her better." His face lit up, and Ruby smiled. She sat up, and patted the grass next to her. The first years sat down.

"So what are your names?"

"I'm Christina Abbot." Said the Hufflepuff.

"Stanley Longbottom. I have an older brother named Frank, and he's in Gryffindor too."

"Jasper Avery." said the Slytherin boy.

"I'm Ruby Snape."

"You're Ruby Snape? The one who beat up the Marauders?" the boys' eyes widened in awe.