@doecharmed sent : ❃ = dancing together .
he has never seen the great hall decked out like this . as soon as the large, double doors open an ‘ ooh ’ seems to sweep through the crowd behind them . though james hardly has time to appreciate the beauty, when he’s thinking about the upcoming dance .
his partner is beside him, her arm atop his as he guides her into the great hall, like tradition. james can still hardly believe lily agreed to go with him . he’d been sure someone else would have asked her first, or that she wouldn’t want to go - but she had agreed, and he had been filled with a sort of untouchable warmth since .
it was nice, to go with a friend . even if he had hoped it would have shielded him from more nerves than it had . he felt nervous now, especially with lily beside him, who looked beautiful, and confident, and who he was expected to dance with as one of the champions. he just hoped, that the two of them could have fun .
they finally reach the great hall, and the champions all prepare to open the dance. he can see the beauxbatons champion beside them, smiling wide. he and lily are face to face, and he catches her eye, and smiles, and feels a jolt of electricity go through him he chalks up to anticipation. it’s like playing a game of quidditch, there was always a strange mix of nerves and excitement before the game started.
the music starts and there’s no time to think . he and lily’s hands meet, his other hand on her waist, hers around his back. they had had to practise this in class, so many times, but it felt different now. all the awkwardness seems to disappear, the steps coming easily to him . they move around the room, the crowd disappearing, until all james can see, can even care about is lily . they seem to move closer, as the music swells, the stiff position they had both taken easing slightly. he realises, all of a sudden, he’s having fun, and he almost laughs as they twirl around the room for the final time .
the music dies slowly, and james smiles as he looks at lily, half bashful and half joyful. her face looks a little flushed, one strand of hair falling out of place and into her face, and he doesn’t think when he reaches out to tuck it in place behind her ear. immediately, he wonders why he did that, it’s not the kind of thing he would have usually done for a friend - but he’d been unable to dampen the impulse .
❝ thank you for coming with me ❞ it’s easiest to forget what he’d done by speaking instead, forcing himself to think on something else . beside, he really did need to thank her . ❝ couldn’t have survived that without you ❞
