Tango * dramione

Chapter 32

Chapter 32: dance a tango to hell

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Draco could feel it - the tightening in his gut which meant he was either about to do something very brave or extremely foolish. The word "both" came to mind as he accompanied (dragged) Hermione onto the dance floor riddled with aristocratic, opinionated schmucks.

He was nervous - boy, was he ever. It was true that he was a performer of sorts, always searching for a way to be in the limelight, but this...dancing...there were reasons he'd barely accompanied Pansy to the dance floor back during the Yule Ball, instead making excuses to spike the punch bowl and goof off with Crabbe and Goyle. At least Crabbe, Merlin rest his soul, would never have to see this specticle about to unfold.

"Breathe," Hermione reminded him. And he did. In. Out. Repeated it until he gave her a small nod of the head.

The music sounded distorted, like being encased in glass. His heart slammed in his ears, but one look in Hermione's eyes put his fears to rest. The ballroom melted and sizzled into nothingness. A lone spotlight shone over Hermione's face, beckoning him to pull her even closer to him. Okay, maybe there wasn't really a spotlight, but she was really all he could see. His hand brushed down the back of her dress as his tongue wet his lips.

One step. That's all it took to fall into place, and in an instant, they were dancing. Their bodies acted on impulse and muscle memory, gliding them across the dance floor. Draco had nearly forgotten why he was dancing - having a beautiful woman in his arms move with him in sensual ways in time with the beat was distracting.

"Draco," she whispered, and it reminded him to pull himself back to reality.

"Yes?" he managed out.

"You look...like you're somewhere else," she whispered just before their legs moved in a series of practiced kicks and steps.

Suddenly aware of the blood flowing down into his groin, he cleared his throat and whispered back, "I might be. Just a tad."

Luckily, she didn't catch on. "You're the one who wanted to-" He dipped her suddenly, causing her to pause. Noses touching and his hand against the small of her back, Draco smirked at her flustered blush. "...To show up your mother."

"Hmm..." He brushed the tip of his nose against hers, reveling in the way her breath ghosted his lips. "But now my mind is on other things."

Before Hermione could ask what the 'other things' were, he jerked her back upright, placed her delicately on her feet, and continued the Tango, this time with more drive behind his movements. And he wasn't the only one giving it their all - Hermione looked as graceful as she did while falling off the pedestal during the trust fall: like an angel carved out of heaven. Not that he believed in that sort of stuff, but...

"Do you trust me?" he asked, a seriousness etched in his voice.

Hermione blinked thoughtfully back at him. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but yes. Completely, and with my life."

As his chest swelled with pride, the corners of Draco's lips pried back in a handsome smirk. "On my mark, jump."

He waited with a keen ear for the right musical cue, and when he heard it, he nodded and Hermione jumped. Wordlessly, Draco used his magic to levitate her higher, using his arms as levies and hoisting her over his head. They spun in a circle, joined only by their fingertips now, as Hermione floated in the air, laughing at the sheer surprise of it all. The way her teeth glistened underneath the chandelier light made Draco dizzy with delight. Carefully, he brought her back down to the floor, where she landed with grace well beyond the prudish bookworm he'd originally thought her to be.