Mastering Temptation

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Dancing With Deatheaters







Severus and Lucius made it through dinner easily enough. Draco had made reservations at a restaurant that was a throwback to the days of big bands and cabaret singers. The wine and food were of the finest quality and the entertainment was top notch. They had watched Hermione and Draco make their way impressively across the dance floor. They moved easily through the dance steps and it was obvious in their ease with one another that they were used to dancing together.





Severus was leaning back in his chair watching Lucius now lead Hermione through the familiar steps of the foxtrot while Draco watched him with avid interest.





“Is there something on your mind, Draco?” Severus asked. He could actually feel Draco staring at him and it was beginning to grate on his already strained nerves.





“Hermione is seeing someone and she won’t tell me who it is.” Draco said, noting that the corner of Severus’s mouth twitched slightly as though he were going to smile.





“Why are you mentioning it to me?” Severus asked, watching as Hermione laughed at something Lucius was saying to her.





“I don’t know, I thought maybe you would have something to say about it.” Draco said. “I see the way you look at her.”





“Oh? How do I look at her?” Severus asked, turning his gaze on Draco.





“You look at her as if she belongs to you. You think no one notices you watching her, but I do.” Draco said softly.





“She’s lovely, Draco, any man with a pulse is going to look at her.” Severus narrowed his eyes slightly, wondering just how much the younger man had gleaned from his observations. “What are you not saying?”





“I guess I thought perhaps you might have an opinion about her being involved with someone and keeping it a secret.” Draco said.





“No, I don’t have an opinion, but obviously you do.” Severus reached for his tumbler of bourbon and stared at Draco over the rim.





“I want her to be happy and as long as whoever it is she is involved with takes care not to hurt her, then I will keep any and all opinions to myself.” There was a certain amount of threat in his tone that took Severus somewhat by surprise. How interesting that the boy he had once counseled regularly on his maltreatment of Hermione would now be the man who issued threats in protection of her.





“She is lucky to have friends who are so concerned with her well being.” Severus said.





“No, we are the lucky ones.” Draco said, suddenly looking up and smiling. “So, how was it dancing with the old man?”





“Lucius is a marvelous dancer, light on his feet and charming as well.” Hermione said. “Now, who is going to dance the tango with me?” She asked, hands on her hips.





“I believe it is Severus’s turn to take you out on the floor, my dear.” Lucius said, gesturing for the waiter to refill his brandy.





“Severus?” Hermione looked down at him, her eyes twinkling with happiness. She was enjoying herself immensely and as it stood he was the only one she had not danced with.





“I’m not a very good dancer…”





“Rubbish! I saw you dance with my mother several times over the years.” Draco said. “Dance with Hermione, it’s her birthday.”





“No, he doesn’t want to, Draco, it’s fine.” Hermione said as she pulled her chair from the table.





“Please, don’t sit.” Severus stood and took her hand. “I would love to dance with you.”





Hermione smiled brightly and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor as the slow, steady beat began to play. He pulled her into position, one arm around her, his palm in the center of her back while one of her hands rested on his shoulder and the other clasped firmly in his hand.





“You really don’t have to dance with me if you don’t want to, Severus.” She said softly before he began to lead her in the slow, rolling steps of the tango.





“I don’t mind, it’s an excuse to get you into my arms.” He kept his voice low, the conversation intimate. “I think that Draco suspects that you and I are more than we appear.”





“Oh really? Did he ask you?” She was surprised at how well he danced, graceful and sensual, his hips rolling with hers as they moved through the steps.





“No, but I picked up on the subtle threat that if I didn’t take care of you I would have to answer to him.” Severus led her into a slow turn.





“Somehow I doubt that you have any fear of him.” She said. “It’s nice to know that he cares. I doubt he knows anything Severus…who would ever suspect you and I together?”













Lucius sat with his son and observed his friend of over thirty years as he danced with the young witch.





“There is something odd going on there.” Lucius said, watching them.





“You noticed it too?” Draco asked, turning his attention to his father.





“He is very proprietary where she is concerned. It’s subtle; I doubt I would have noticed it if I didn’t know him so well, but it’s there.” Lucius said, smiling slightly.





“She acts strangely when he comes around, she holds her breath and her cheeks flush, I’ve never seen her act like that before.” Draco said, watching in amazement as his godfather danced the rather sensual dance with Hermione.





“He has been questioning me about how we came to be so involved with her. I think he may be jealous.” Lucius said, smiling.





“I get that feeling as well. She has a mark behind her ear, looks to be a few days old, and she admitted she’s seeing someone, but she will not tell me who. Says he isn’t ready to go public, whatever that means.” Draco took a sip of his whiskey and smiled. “Do you think it’s him?”





“I don’t know, but it is obvious that they are attracted to each other. I am thinking I now know why she is considering leaving her post at the school.” Lucius said, tapping his fingers on the table.





“I hadn’t thought about that. She feels odd working for friends, she would feel even worse about working for someone she is attracted to or involved with.” The song came to a slow, fading halt and Severus led Hermione back towards them.





“Time will tell, but it should be fun to watch.” Lucius said.





“And it will be even more fun to torment them.” Draco said just before Severus and Hermione stepped up to the table.





“Oh goodness that was fun!” She said breathlessly as she flopped back into her chair and reached for her ice water.





“Yes, it looked as though you were having a great deal of fun.” Lucius drawled. “The two of you seemed to have a natural rhythm; one would think you had been doing it for years.”





Severus cleared his throat and glared at Lucius from across the table while Hermione blushed and finished off her water.





“Well, are we ready for The Underground?” Draco asked, reaching into his pocket for the muggle currency he needed to pay the bill.





“What is The Underground?” Lucius asked.





“The club we are going to.” Hermione said as she stood.





“So this isn’t it? We are going somewhere else?” Lucius looked so disheartened that Hermione wanted to laugh.





“This was dinner Lucius, it just happened to involve a bit of dancing. The club is something else entirely.” Hermione said, smiling at Draco as they led the two older wizards out of the restaurant and into a taxi heading for their favorite night spot.





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So dinner is over, time to drag the boys out clubbing LOL……wonder how that will go……….