Second Place - Romance

Calmed down for the moment at least, Harry followed allowed Severus to draw him back to the party. He watched, rather bemusedly, as Draco tried to apologize for his father's attack on his godfather's character. Now that he understood their relationship, Harry had even found himself thinking that he might try to be friends with the Slytherin boy for Severus' sake.

He caught Hermione's eye and nodded that he was okay, knowing that she would impart that information to the others. That would keep everyone and their neighbor from pestering him with questions the rest of the evening. Harry also noted that Molly had dragged Ron off to another corner and seemed to be on him about something or another. With Molly, it was always hard to say.

Harry was surprised that his husband led him out to the middle of the dance floor and turned, clearly intending for them to dance. Numbly, the young man stepped into his mate's arms and the potions master swept him off into the flow of the music. Dancing was not an art form that Harry had every truly mastered, but in Severus' arms, following his lead, the young wizard felt at ease for the first time that evening and relaxed into his husband's embrace.

Remus smiled at his godson and nodded at Severus as the pair made their way to the already crowded dance floor. The werewolf was startled out of his thoughts when two pairs of hands reached for him and two matching young man asked for this dance. "What, with both of you?" he laughed.

Fred said, "But, of course, Remus."

"We have been wanting," George picked up.

"To dance with you for some time now," Fred ended.

Shaking his head to clear out the confusion the twins were apt to cause, Remus hesitated and then shrugged. Why not, he reasoned. It's not as if it means anything anyway, he reminded himself.

The two delighted brothers grinned and led their prey out onto the floor and each picked an arm and a side to hold. Nodding to their partner, they began to twirl about the room, garnering many shocked onlookers.

Tonks grinned at her friends out on the floor and turned to greet Kingsley as he walked over to her. The tall Auror held out a hand, and smiling, the metamorphmagus laid her hand in his and followed him out to the floor. She just hoped she could keep from stepping on his feet too many times.

After being assured that Severus was all right, Draco sought out Ginny and politely asked her to dance. The pretty red head smiled shyly at the silver haired boy and nodded. Another pair joined in the dancing.

Bill Weasley chuckled as he watched tonight's entertainment unfold. Having spent the past several years in Egypt he had not had much chance to personally observe Fudge's bumbling antics. No wonder mum goes off about him so much, he wryly thought. Catching sight of the lovely, and now, single Narcissa Black, Bill sauntered over to where the elegant woman was watching her son dancing with his sister. "May I have the honor of this dance?" he asked, as he swept into a low bow.

Narcissa smiled at the brash and somewhat handsome young man. Now that the idiot Fudge was gone the party had truly begun and Narcissa had promised herself some fun tonight, so...

Neville timidly asked his girlfriend to dance. Luna smiled dreamily at the clumsy boy and led him out to the floor. Watching the confrontation earlier had reminded her of the time her father had taken her to watch the mating habits of the Humpback Cring Switches.

Ron rubbed his ear, having had it talked off by his irate mother. Apparently his girlfriend had enlisted his mother's help in straightening him out about Harry and Snape. Ron sighed. This was not how he liked to spend his evenings. Not at all. And he was fairly certain that dancing was one of those things he didn't want to do, but seeing Hermione making her way over to him, he thought that it didn't look like he was going to be given the choice.

Albus smiled as he popped a lemon drop into his mouth and strode over to where Minerva was discussing the evening's events with Filius Flitwick. "My dear, might I have this dance?" the headmaster inquired. Apologizing to Filius, Minerva turned and placed her hand on her friend's outstretched arm.

Molly sighed. Now that Fudge was gone and she had given her youngest son a good talking to, she felt as if she could now relax and enjoy herself. Walking over to where Arthur was busily explaining everything he knew about plugs and their uses, she smiled to the bewildered Ministry official and asked her husband to dance. Leading him away, she was sure she heard a sigh of relief from her husband's latest victim.

Rita Skeeter had confiscated a table so that she could continue to write the story of the century. She knew she had a winner with this one and was already imagining the accolades that would surely come her way once the story was published. Such a scandal! And she had been present for the entire thing. That idiot Fudge had really done it now, she thought derisively. Of course, the sharp-eyed witch hadn't failed to notice the behavior of the pair at the center of the controversy since Fudge's rather hasty departure. Even now, the two were gracefully dancing around the floor, with the potions master obviously leading his younger partner. That wasn't so shocking to the reporter though as the expression on the faces of the men. It was quite apparent that the two were besotted. Strange, she thought, given that rumors for years had had the two nearly at each other's throats. Of course, now it looked as though they would soon again be at each other's throats, she chuckled, but in an entirely different sort of way. Oh yes, the witch was in nirvana. She had not only the story of the fight between the hero of the wizarding world and the Minister of Magic, and also the downfall of the Minister, but then the story of the star-crossed lovers, finding true love and each other despite the odds.

For the rest of the evening, Severus managed to keep the others at bay and he danced exclusively with his young husband. For the potions master it seemed as if no one else existed that night, except for his beautiful emerald-eyed lover.

Harry felt mesmerized as dance after dance he swept around the room with his husband. Something he could not quite describe was beating inside his chest, trying to get out. With Severus he felt safe, grounded and content. Harry had no intention of dancing with any one other than his dark-eyed handsome husband.

After a few hours Albus Dumbledore announced that fireworks were to be enjoyed out on the front lawn of the castle in a few minutes. The now laughing crowd made their way out to watch the display.

Harry spotted Hagrid standing over by his hut and asked Severus to accompany him down to the large man. Hagrid met them half way up the hill and asked how the celebration was going. Hearing the potions master's snort, Hagrid decided to change the subject and told Harry that he hadn't attended the dance itself because he didn't want to leave Grawp alone. But as the young giant had fallen asleep, Hagrid had made his way back to Hogwarts and was pleased that he was in time to see the fireworks.

Just then, the first firework exploded overhead to many �ahs' and �oohs' and Harry and Severus went to get comfortable for the show. Severus sat down against a rock and drew his young mate down to sit in front of him. Harry leaned back into his husband's arms and rested his head against the hard chest behind him. Harry sighed, as he watched the magical fireworks and felt happier than he had ever been before.

The Flipside of Sanity - Chapter 21

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