All of the students and teachers in Hogwarts gathered together for an unexpected class later that week: Ballroom dance. And you could certainly tell that Severus would have liked to be anywhere but here.

"The yule ball has been a tradition of the tri-wizard tournament since its inception. On Christmas eve night we and our guests gather in the great hall for well-mannered frivolity. As representatives of the host school I expect each and every one of you to put your best foot forward, and I mean this literally because the yule ball is first and foremost... a dance." Minvera spoke.

Groans emerged from the boys who are listening on the right side of the room. The girls, however, seem a lot more excited. You supposed it was the natural grace of a woman that made many of them more confident in their dancing skills. You, however, had been taught by your mother and that is where your confidence spawned from. A touch clumsy otherwise, you figured that grace was not a gift bestowed upon you nor your sister. Eventually Minerva calmed everyone back down.

"Silence. The house of Godrick Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizard world for nearly ten centuries. I will not have you in the course of a single evening besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons. That goes for each house and their respective heads." You realized now why Severus was so uneasy. He was meant to demonstrate to his house. "Now to dance is to let the body breathe, inside every girl a secret swan slumbers longing to burst forth and take flight." Suddenly, you were very nervous and you wondered if Severus would pick you to dance with, or take a student to teach them. "Inside every boy a lordly lion prepared to prance. Mr. Weasley, will you join me?" You laughed a bit as she grabbed the reluctant Ron and pulled him up to dance. "Now, place your right hand on my waist"

"Where?" You heard the nervous boy gulp.

"My waist." As he followed directions, a wolf whistle comes from the crowd. "Now bend your arm. Mr. Flitwick if you will... One two three, one two three, one two three."

"Do you like to dance?" Severus whispered in your ear.

"I have ample experience." You smiled back.

"May I have this dance, Professor Tonks?"

"Everybody come together." The girls instantly stood and walked forward, as the boys were all

still seated. "Boys, on your feet."

Severus presented his hand and bowed, demonstrating the proper way to ask. With a glowing face, you accepted his hand and he whisked you off to dance. Surprisingly, he was spectacular, despite his long limbs. His hand pulled your lower back close to him, bringing your entire body to touch him. It felt as if the rest of the room melted away as you gazed into each other's eyes.

"You seemed so put off when this began," You spoke quietly. "I thought you didn't like to dance."

"I love the music." He mused. "And an adept partner makes or breaks such things. I dreaded having to dance with a student. But alas, I escaped that torture."

"Oh, perhaps I should find a decent Durmstrang man to experience such a thing." You teased him.

"I do not take such taunts lightly, Professor Tonks. I'm afraid I shall have to watch over you."

"And why is that? Can't a lady have more than one dance partner?"

"Not if that partner is me." His black eyes twinkled as he spun you around the room. Even the students couldn't help but watch in awe. The cold-hearted professor seemed to have thawed just a bit.