E Pluribus Unum

A/N - Okay, okay, some smut for all of you pervs. :) I loved writing this chapter, from Kat\'s interaction with the girls to her interaction (pant) with Sev. Kate had to turn on the air-conditioning LOL! All Hail the Mighty Kate!

Droxy - Well, Minuet is a Slytherin, of course she is devious and clever!
deblovesdragon - You\'re quite right, had she been trying her hardest, he wouldn\'t have stood a chance, however she hasn\'t quite mastered seduction yet, she\' still only fifteen. LOL Wait \'til she\'s older, Harry is in serious trouble.
Laleri E - Severus knows about the relationship, rememeber his musings in the bathroom adn Kate\'s comments about setting up the extra potions classes again so Severus could keep an eye on them?
Helen - You are in a realm of E Pluribus Unum, a realm of Sev, a realm of Kat a...uh, sorry. Thaks for the positive chapter review!


Chapter 37 – The Dancing Lesson


Kathryn watched as Min grumbled through the stretching routine that Kathryn insisted upon before they practiced kata and sparring. Kathryn grinned behind the girl’s back and she twisted her own torso, stretching out her arms until the vertebrae made an audible cracking sound and she felt the tension leaving her body.

Somewhere along the way, the martial arts class had gone from Minuet and Kathryn working together to include Hermione, Fauna, Ginny and Luna. As the only Muggle-born in the class, Hermione had an easier time picking up the physical skills of fighting than the other girls did, but she was constantly confronted with the strange and hidden cultural pitfalls of the pureblooded world. It was a revelation on both sides.

“So if Draco has put in a bid, does that mean that they are engaged?” Hermione was still trying to puzzle out the marital customs of her adopted world, even as she did side lunges

“No, they are engaged after he gives her a ring. Right now they are just pld; sd; she can still back out if she decides to.” Fauna interpreted patiently from her position on the floor, grabbing her toes. “He is bound by the bid he made but she isn’t until she accepts his ring.”

“So she can string him along if she wants to.” Ginny added with a grin. “Mum kept Dad waiting for three months before she accepted his ring.” Ginny was using the bar to stretch and the reflected image of her grin was clearly visible in the mirror.

“Only three? Mine kept my father waiting for a year.” Minuet chortled and the girls laughed, except for Hermione who was watching them with confusion.

“It’s a dance, Hermione, a delicate maneuvering for power, prestige, and status.” Kathryn took pity on the poor girl. “Most purebloods raise their daughters for one purpose: to marry and breed heirs.” Hermione made a face but the other girls just nodded.

“I’m lucky, ‘Mione.” Ginny said gently to her friend. “My father doesn’t care who I marry as long as I am happy and in love.”

“You are lucky.” Fauna gave the older redhead a look of envy. “My father can only think of bettering the family’s status by marrying me and my sisters off to high-ranking families.”

“That’s horrible.” Hermione was looking at Fauna with a shocked expression.

“You don’t know what it’s like though, for those of us from less exalted families. We are snubbed at parties and looked down on. I would have happily married anyone my father told me to just to stop the whispers and the teasing.” Fauna had spoken more in that one speech than she had in the past month and a half.

“But not anymore?” Minuet asked her best friend.

“No, I don’t care anymore. There are so many more important things than whether you are first or last in walking in to dinner.” The haunted look might never completely leave the girl, but Kathryn could see that Fauna had been changed in many ways by her experience. “I don’t have to learn the Hevaida perfectly to make someone a good wife.” Again all the pureblooded girls nodded and smiled and Hermione was left looking perplexed.

“The Hevaida is a traditional dance preformed by pureblooded girls at their balls.” Kathryn interpreted the cultural reference for Hermione.

“Really? You have to get up in front of all your suitors and dance?” Hermione looked upset by the thought.

“We all start learning it when we are little; by the time we are eighteen we could do it in our sleep.” Minuet shrugged. “It’s kind of a final exam for being a debutante.” She added and the other girls nodded.

“My mother died be she she could teach me.” Luna said suddenly and the other girls all looked at her in surprise.

“Surely you had an Aunt or Grandmother…?” Min, Fauna and Ginny looked horrified.

“Dad traveled too much.” She looked off into the distance. “Besides any man I marry will have to not care.” Despite the brave words, Luna had a forlorn quality to her that tugged Kathryn’s heart.

“Take positions.” She commanded and Ginny, Minuet and Fauna all lined up neatly and posed carefully for the first movement. A quick charm and the music started. Kathryn stepped into line with the other girls and they began to move through the paces of the dance, twirling and dipping, arms floating, heads up and bodies moving in timed perfection. When the music ended they all halted in final position in per uni unison.

“It’s beautiful.” Hermione murmured, envious of the other girls’ graceful movements.

“Take positions again.” Kathryn sent the girls back into first position and Kathryn pulled Luna and Hermione into line at either end. Just as her mother had done and her grandmother before that, she adjusted the two girls’ positions and stances until they were just right.

For the next two hours, she and the other girls demonstrated steps, corrected movements and applauded progress.

“I think Hermione must be the first Muggleborn ever to learn this.” Fauna commented quietly.

“Won’t you get in trouble, Professor?” Minuet asked suddenly.

“Not if we all can keep a secret.” Kathryn gave them all a wry smile. “And isn’t that the silliest thing imaginable, keeping dancing lessons a secret?” There was general agreement on that subject, but she still made sure to warn Hermione as they were all getting ready to leave. “Hermionven ven having seen the Hevaida would have some of the nuttier purebloods calling for your death. To learn it…well, just don’t let anyone find out, okay?”

“Not a word.” Hermione agreed. “But Professor, it really is beautiful. I thought there was nothing of any value in pureblood culture but there is some real beauty there under all the ugliness.” Her wistful tone made Kathryn pat her gently.

“There is a lot of ugly to get through.” She warned and Hermione gave her a look of understanding before she left.


She stormed into the dungeons in search of her lover and maybe a bottle of something strong.

“Pleasant meeting with your mother?” Severus asked her from the comfort of his chair by the fire. She controlled the urge to hex the smirk off his face and settled for venting her spleen.

“Why can’t the woman figure out that I am thirty-seven years old and perfectly capable of running my own life?” She asked the rhetorical question with hands thrust out in aggravation.

“Probably for the same reasons as my father.” Severus gave her the look, the one that spoke of untold detentions that he would like to assign.

“What is wrong with people that they think they have to meddle in everyone’s lives?” She stormed over to the fireplace and warmed herself up in front of it. Severus put down the book he had been reading and tugged her onto his lap.

She curled up against him, feeling the scratchy wool of his frock coat against her cheek; the subtle scent of potions and the warm masculine scent of him calmed and soothed her instantly.

“What was she on about this time?” Severus’ voice wove its spell on her once more and she snuggled closer with a happy sound.

“Oh, she found out about the locket that Grand-mére sent you and wanted to tell me again how horribly unsuitable you were.” She murmured as the feelings of happiness and contentment he generated in her relaxed her.

“Ah, and did she have an alternative suitor?” There was something in his voice, some tensing of his muscles that made her peer up at him in concern.

“Why do you ask?” His lips thinned and she caught the faintest glimmer of hurt in his eyes which he quickly veiled.

“I was wondering what sort of man she fancied for you.” There it was again -- a definite tinge of bittss. ss.

“She probably would think Lucius Malfoy was the perfect man.” Kathryn poured all her scorn into that sentence. “Personally, I much prefer Severus Snape.” She ran a hand along his jaw line and felt the tension in it.

“Are those your only choices?” How such a quietly spoken question could arouse so much fury in her Kathryn didn’t know.

“Actualmy cmy choice is you, Severus, unless you are backing out?” She pulled herself out of his lap and stood, furious and shaking, staring down at him. Hands on her hips and eyes burning, she watched him drop his eyes and look away. “What’s wrong with you?” She rapped out.

“It just occurs to me that there are many more suitable men in the world that you might prefer.” His voice was devoid of all emotion and Kathryn deflated; he was doing it again, having an insecurity attack. She blew out her breath in exasperation.

“Take off your clothes.” She snapped at him. He looked up at her in shock.

“What?” His voice was unsteady and rose an octave on the last bit. She shook her head, grabbed her wand out of her sleeve and divested them both of their clothes.

She grabbed his hand, pulled him to his feet and pressed herself against him. While he was still reeling, she kissed him and wrapped a leg around him. She ran a hand down his chest and grasped his member in her hand, quickly arousing him with a gentle caress of her thumb. When he was panting and breathless, she released him and headed for the bedroom.

“Kathryn?” He sounded utterly confused.

“You are the stupidest man in the world, Severus, and that is saying something. I love you and I want to marry you. Get that through your thick English skull, you moron, and come to bed.” For some reason this entirely unlover-like speech made him smile at her fondly and cross the room to join her in the bedroom.

“You loud, over-bearing Americans all think you have the monopoly on intelligence.” He snarled and grabbing her around the waist, pulled her hard against him. His eyes glittered dangerously and she found her mouth had gone dry with sudden desire.

“Well, I wasn’t the one trying to get rid of me, now was I?” Kathryn countered, her pulse racing as he pushed her against the wall.

“I wasn’t the one going to lunch with a woman who repeats the same tripe again and again.” He began to savage her neck with his mouth, leaving her breathless and dizzy.

“t’s either that or start a huge argument with half the family.” She protested, rubbing herself hard against his leg and panting as he teased a nipple with his thumb.

“So have the row, get it done with, don’t speak to anyone who judges you and stick with the family you do like, you silly woman.” He was probing her moistness with his long sensitive fingers and she was having a great deal of difficulty concentrating on the conversation.

“It would upset my father.” She panted and then moaned as he stroked her clitoris with his fingertips.

“If he loves you, he would be more upset by how much discord that woman causes you.” He growled and plunged his fingers into her, pumping slowly and driving her mad with pleasure.

“Okay, I admit to being stupid about my family, but it doesn’t mean you aren’t a git for thinking I would listen to her.” She cried out as he pushed his cock into her and began to pump with maddening slowness. She was so glad that he was strong enough to keep her pinned to the wall because she didn’t think her legs could hold her up at this point.

“I - hate - your - mother.” He accentuated each word with a thrust of the hips and she was screaming her agreement with him as he came inside her.

She collapsed against him and he held her as their pulses slowed and their breathing eased.

“Very well, I’ll stop having lunch with her.”