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Life\'s A Dance	By : sherdelune Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 3197 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Life's A Dance
- 1
TITLE: Life's a Dance
PAIRING: SS/RL, DM/HP
RATING: PG
FEEDBACK: I would love to get a little feedback to let me know how I’m doing. Thanks! sherdelune@comcast.net
DISCLAIMER: Don't own 'em and don't want to. J.K. Rowling owns the
enigmatic Severus Snape. I'm just borrowing them for a bit of fun, but will return them virtually unharmed, and fully intact. You can't squeeze blood from a turnip, but you will squeeze even less from me.
Parts of John Michael Montgomery's "Life's a Dance" were used, and in some parts, reworded to fit the story.
SUMMARY: SLASH Severus loses a bet against Remus and they both end up in a muggle gay bar on CountryWestern theme night. Is this what it takes for both men to realise their attraction to each other? One shot that MAY be continued.
NOTES: Part of the Severus Snape Fuh-Q-Fest. Three word challenge: (Life’s a dance... Gee, thanks, Taran lol)
SPOILERS: None that I know of
ARCHIVING: The Severus Snape Fuh-Q-Fest and archives. Elsewhere, ask.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: For Kerry, who loves and puts up with me, warts and all, T.P., you are the greatest muse a girl could ever wish for, and Tim who believed in me, and allowed me to borrow you for a little while.
To my beta reader, Shah_rhe, a thousand thanks for a very speedy and thorough job.

Life's a Dance
by Sherdelune

Life's a dance you learn as you go
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow
Don't worry about what you don't know
Life's a dance you learn as you go

Severus Snape frowned disdainfully as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. “Would you just look at me! I can’t believe I let you talk me into this, Lupin.” His hands brushed imaginary lint from the black denim jeans that hugged his lean body like a second skin. “I don’t know how Muggles can function in such constraining clothing.”

Remus Lupin laughed at Snape's obvious discomfort. “You should have thought about that before you agreed to the bet, Snape. You had to have known that Slytherin didn’t stand a chance ofningning House Cup this year, and since Gryffindor did win, it’s time for you to pay up.” He ignored the baleful look Snape gave him as he handed him the scarlet aold old shirt to complete his outfit.

“There’s no need to be smug about it, Remus.” He slid his arms into the shirt and buttoned it up to the neck. Severus turned back to the mirror and undid the skin-tight jeans so he could tuck the shirt in. “Does it have to be scarlet and gold?” he asked sullenly. “Really, Remus. That I am going to subject myself to this Muggle bar is humiliation enough without you insisting that I wear the Gryffindor colours.” He picked up the belt that Lupin had set out for him and began threading it though the loops of the jeans. He looked down at the buckle in horror. It was large, gold in colour, and emblazoned with the Gryffindor crest. “I think I’m going to be ill.” His skin had turned a sickly shade of grey, and his dark eyes pleaded with Remus. “Please…”

“A bet’s a bet. No backing out now.” Remus's hazel eyes were full of mirth as Severus sank dejectedly into a chair. “Besides, I’m not finished with you, yet.” He grinned wickedly as he pulled a bolo tie out of the bag that had held the clothes and accessories, and handed it to the miserable Slytherin. “Just a few more things, Severus. Put this on.” He smiled. “And don’t ft tht the hat.” Remus pointed to the large, black cowboy hat that was hanging from a hook in the wall.

Severus looked at the tie quizzically. “Put it on? What on earth is it?”

“Don’t be daft, Severus. It’s a tie, and it’s meant to go around your neck.”

Severus crossed his arms defiantly across his chest. There was no way in hell he was putting that thing around his neck. Wasn’t it enough that the shirt was scarlet and gold, and that obscene belt buckle held the Gryffindor crest? Must he demean himself further by wearing the Gryffindor crest around his neck as well? “You’re the daft one, Lupin, if you think for one second that I’m going to put that around my neck.” Snape literally spat, his black eyes narrowed to slits.

“Awwww, poor Sevvy! You’re making…”

“Don’t call me 'Sevvy'!” Severus’s dark eyes flashed in anger.

“Don’t interrupt me,” Remus chided. “As I was saying, you’re making this much more difficult than it has to be. It’s only for one night, and you did agree to the terms of the bet.” Remus pulled the hat off the hook, and placed it precariously atop Severus's dark locks.

Severus yanked the hat off of his head and smoothed his hair down. “You’re going to make me wear that infernal tie, aren’t you?”

Lupin laughed at the doleful picture that Snape presented. He looked so pathetic just sitting there that Remus just couldn’t help himself. “You know I will, Severus. You might as well just put it on. The sooner you do, the sooner we can leave, and the quicker we can come back.” He rose and offered Snape his hand.

“Very well, then.“ Snape batted the other mans hand away. “I don’t need your help, thank you.” He fastened the bolo tie around his neck, then got up to check it in the mirror. “You’d better hope that none of my students see me like this, Lupin.”

Remus glanced at Severus surreptitiously, admi the the way the jeans hugged the other mans body. Funny, he never noticed how nicely Snape was put together before now. Of course, Severus kept that fact well hidden under the voluminous folds of his robes, which he was never seen without. He looked away quickly and cleared his throat.

“I doubt that we’ll see any of your students where we’re going. Besides, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you were seen, would it?” Remus tried to keep a straight face, because he knew what being caught out in this get up would cost the Slytherin dearly. Severus worked hard to cultivate a certain image for himself, a combination of regal superiority and ruthlessness, and Lupin knew it.

“It would be considerably worse than the end of the world. I daresay it would be a fate worse than death.” He would have to find a way to make his house pay for this humiliation, the insufferable brats. Snape combed his hair back into a ponytail, and placed the black cowboy hat on his head. He felt a sickening dread spreading through his belly, and he was beginning to regret the friendly wager he had made with Lupin. Oh, how he wished it was Remus who was adorned in Slytherin green right now. But Remus had won the bet, so he was dressed rather plainly in a white cotton shirt and well-worn jeans that left very little to the imagination. Brilliant, he thought crossly. “I suppose you’re ready to parade me around like your trophy, eh, Lupin?” Severus rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically.

“Stop your whinging you melodramatic prat. Honestly, Severus, you’re acting worse than my first years.” Remus put on his jacket in preparation to leave. “Look, if you’re worried about being seen..”

“Of course I’m worried about being seen! You know we can’t Apparate from Hogwarts. Which means we have to walk through the grounds to get outside the gates. If Malfoy saw me wearing this…this,” he raised his hands in exasperation, “this garb..” Severus shuddered at the thought.

Remus stopped and thought for a moment. There had to be a way to get the irascible potions master safely through the gates of Hogwarts without being seen. Even though it would serve the pompous man right to be seen, teaching him a valuable lesson in humility. He gave it a little more thought, then hit on a possible solution.

“I think I have an idea on how we can get you to the gates without being spotted. I can do a cingcing spell and carry you out in my pocket.” He watched as Snape raised his eyebrows suspiciously. “Of course, I would bring you back to your own size once we had cleared the grounds. What do you say, Sus?”us?” Lupin gazed expectantly at his colleague, trying to read the emotions on the other mans face.

Severus clung to his lofty reserve, choosing to keep his mask of indifference in place. “I suppose if it’s the only way of getting me to the other side of the gate... But I’m warning you now, I’ll only be in your pocket for as long as it takes you to reach the other side of the gates. Are we clear on this?”

“Crystal.” Remus reached into his pocket and retrieved his wand. “Are yoady,ady, Severus?"

Snape nodded his head jerkily, then closed his eyes, hoping that the spell would work its magic quickly. He began to feel an odd sensation in the pit of his stomach, and his hands and feet begin to tingle. The tingling began spreading through his entire body, and he felt as though he may pass out.

Lupin watched in amused silence as Severus shrank down to the size of a mouse. As soon as he was a small enough, Remus plucked Snape up and manoeuvered him, kicking and squirming, into a pocket.

When he finally opened his eyes, Severus found himself in the pocket of Lupin's jacket. It was dark and warm, and smelled faintly of patchouli and bergamot oil, which was not entirely unpleasant. He inhaled deeply, allowing the heady scent to pervade his being, sending him into sensory overload. His mind clicked into automatic, and he found himself wondering if this was what Remus always smelled like.

Where the bloody hell did that come from? he thought. Since when did he care what Remus Lupin smelled like? He felt foolish for allowins ths thoughts to stray in that direction. He still hadn’t forgotten how Black had tried to set him up in the Shrieking Shack all those years ago, nor would he soon forget. Although Remus had always insisted that he had not taken part in the prank, Severus couldn’t be sure the other man was telling the truth. Logically, he knew that it made sense. Severus knew that Lupin would have been devastated had he actually harmed another living being, but he wasn’t ready to file this in the logical file...yet.

Remus made his way toward the gate. He hadn’t seen any students, Slytherin or otherwise, and Snape needn’t have worried about being spotted here. He strongly suspected that the potions master had merely used being seen as a diversionary tactic to avoid having to follow through on the bet. He laughed softly to himself. There was no way in hell that he was going to let Snape off the hook so easily.

Once safely outside the school’s gates, he reached into his pocket and carefully pulled out the miniature Snape. Putting him on the ground before him, he pulled out his wand and performed the spell which would return him to his normal size. He stood clear as Severus began to stretch and shift back to his normal size.

“It’s about time you let me come out!” Severus began stretching his limbs to help return normal circulation to them. “I was becoming a bit claustrophobic in there.” He sneered as he began to smooth his clothing. “Well, then, to which method of torture will you be subjecting me, this evening?”

Remus couldn‘t help but laugh at Severus. “Oh, for goodness sake! If you’re this grumpy coming out of a pocket, I can only imagine how much worse you would be coming out of the closet.” He smiled and winked playfully at his companion.

Severus shot Lupin a withering glance.

Undaunted, Remus explained his plans for the night. “’Chaps’ is one of those places where gay Muggles get together to meet each other. Tonight they're having a country/western theme night, and I thought we could have a good time there."

"Oh, I'm sure it will be just fascinating." Severus's voice dripped sarcasm. "My idea of fun is to spend an evening out with you and hundreds of Muggles."

"Oh, loosen up, Sevvy!" Remus teased. "Stop trying to put it off. You'll see, it'll be fun."

The last thing he heard as they began to Apparate was a very petulant Severus Snape whinging about being called "Sevvy."

An old drunk was sitting alone in the alley behind Chaps nursing a bottle of cheap gin, which was concealed in a brown paper bag. He heard a loud popping sound, followed by the voices of two men in the midst of a row.

“Lupin, how many times have I told you not to call me 'Sevvy'?”

“Why do you have to be such a stroppy bastard, Snape? Give it a rest, why don’t you.”

The drunk bolted upright, his eyes darting from the bottle in his hand to the two men who seemed to have just appeared right before his eyes. He blinked several times, then gave the men a toothless, lopsided smile. “Awreet?”

The two wizards nodded politely and walked past the poor man, who felt certain he had just seen them appear out of nowhere. He stood on unsteady legs and wobbled toward a rubbish bin. "Mus' be pished..” He tossed the nearly full bottle into the bin and began to make his way out of the dark and now empty alley.

They could hear the music blasting loudly before they even reached the door. A few punters were gathered at the front of the establishment, waiting to enter, and Severus noticed that some of them were dressed similarly to him. He wasn’t sure that this reassured him, but it did mean that he would not stand too much. Of course, none of them were being forced to wear the Gryffindor colours like he was. The line shifted and they were at the door.

When it was their turn to enter, Remus was glad that he had converted some Galleons into the Muggle equivalent. He paid out what the man at the door had called a “cover,” and he and Severus stepped into the club.

The club was semi-dark, with multi-coloured lights that seemed to pulse to the beat of the music. There was a huge dance floor in the centre of the place that was filled with men of various ages. Several tables and chairs surrounded the dance floor, and there were more tables set farther back in the club. A bar flanked either side of the club, and each had a buff, young bartender mixing the drinks.

Remus found a table near the dance floor, and he and Severus took a seat there. “I’m going to the bar. Can I get you something to drink?” Remus leaned in close so Severus could hear him over the sound system.

"Please. Scotch. Preferably single malt." He watched as Lupin headed toward the bar, then turned his attention to his surroundings. There were several men lined up on the dance floor who appeared to be doing some sof daf dance. Severus watched on curiously,. Each man seemed to be doing the exact same step as everyone else in the line. Crazy Muggle customs, he thought. Although he had to admit to himself that they looked as though they were having a good time. Nevertheless, he was determined to have a perfectly wretched time. There was no way he was going to give Lupin the satisfaction of seeing him have even a marginally good time.

He glanced back towards the bar and saw Remus having a discussion with the bartender. Apparently, Remus had said something incredibly funny, because the bartender broke out in laughter. Remus pointed toward their table and nodded, which made the bartender laugh even louder. A flush of red began slowly creeping up Severus's cheeks, and all of a sudden he began to feel self-conscious. What had Remus said about him that made the bartender laugh? As Remus began to head back toward their table, Severus quickly turned his attention back to the dance floor.

Remus put the scotch on the table, followed by his own drink. "Did you miss me, Snape?" He grinned and pulled out a chair, taking a seat next to the brooding potions master. He noticed how tense Severus appeared. He was just sitting there, his body all rigid angles, staring mutely at the dance floor. Remus wasn’t sure if the mood was due to the clothes he was wearing, or if he was just in his usual strop.

Severus raised an eyebrow at Remus. “Miss you?” His eyes narrowed. “Surely, you mistake me for someone who actually gives a shit.” His slender fingers toyed with the edge of his glass before picking it up and downing its entire contents. He grimaced, then set the glass on the table, avoiding Remus‘s eyes, choosing instead to watch the mass of bodies that huddled on the dance floor.

It was an act, of course. Ever since he was a young boy, Severus always felt the need to play the part of the ‘greasy git,’ or the ‘prat.’ Always cold. Always very calculating. Extremely Slytherin. It was a very clever disguise that he had devised for himself to protect him from the pain of day to day living. The pain of rejection Not that you could call his existence “living.” No, he wasn’t living, just killing time. It was the best he could hope for, all things considered.

Remus watched as the mask that was Severus Snape’s face settled into place. He couldn’t understand why Severus felt the need to close himself off like he did. In all the years they had known each other, Remus couldn’t think of one time that Severus had ever let his guard down. No, he had always had the patina of aloofness, that damned imperial reserve. He had always felt that somewhere behind all of the subterfuge lurked a very likeable man, and if he could only crack the code, he would find the man behind the mask. Cracking the code, however, was proving more difficult than he had ever imagined.

Something had to be done. Remus didn’t think he could sit here all night with Snape looking like a petulant first year student who hadn’t gotten his way. He was going to have to do something to make this situation bearable for both of them. There was no way he was going to sit here all night and allow Snape’s churlish behaviour make him feel as miserable as Snape looked. It was time. To devise. A plan. He took a deep breath and set his mintointo motion.

~@~

When I was fourteen I was falling fast
For a blue eyed boy in my potions class
Trying to find the courage to ask him out
Was like trying to get oil from a waterspout

Back in a cozy corner of the bar two young men sat facing each other, hands entwined and gazing longingly into each others eyes.

No one was more surprised than Harry Potter when three years ago, at 14, he began to have a pretty serious crush on one Draco Malfoy. And you could have knocked Harry over with a feather when it was discovered (quite by accident) that Draco felt the same way about him.

The preceeding 3 years had been spent in a whirlwind of stolen kisses, meaningful glances and whispered promises. Not to mention the manic, hormone-driven sex that they managed to engage in as often as humanly possible. Considering they were both Seekers on their respective Quidditch teams, they'd had no trouble sneaking off together after matches, meeting up for libidinous antics at their secret place. Fuelled by adrenaline and pure animal lust, the two young men could not keep their hands and mouths off of each other.

If anyone in the bar had looked closely, they might find some similarity between the blonde haired boy in the corner, and the sullen black haired man near the dance floor. Not that either of them knew this...yet.

A very upbeat song began playing over the sound system, and many of the men began pairing off to dance. The music was lively, and the lyrics, catchy. Remus smiled when he heard several of the men singing along: “Where did you come from, where did you go? Where did you come from, Cotton-eyed Joe?” The dance looked like a lot of fun, and he felt he could help Severus get over his pity party.

Lupin decided to put his plan in motion.. Very carefully, he slid his wand out of his pocket and up his sleeve, keeping it concealed not only from the punters, but also from his intended target. He raised his arm slightly and pointed it directly at Severus's back, then barely spoke the words....*Tarantallegra!*

To his utter shock and dismay, Severus felt compelled to rise from his seat, dancing like a strange, lurching marionette. His arms and legs were flailing willy-nilly, a look of abject terror on his face. He spun around, his black eyes blazing when he noticed the comical look on Remus Lupin's face. Severus's mouth sputtered, but no words came out, as he quickly spun in the other direction, his legs taking him off on a journey his body was not quite willing to take.

Remus stepped onto the dance floor to try to bring Snape under some sort of control. However, he could do nothing other than stand there, gobsmacked.

Severus was on a collision course with disaster. Dancing behind him, blissfully oblivious to what was about to happen, were none other than Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. And they were looking very chummy indeed.

It happened before Remus could do anything to stop it. He winced as Severus bumped into the two young men, which sent him tumbling forward. Right into Remus Lupin's arms.

Remus quickly slipped his wand up his sleeve and pointed it at Snape. *Finite Incantatem!* he whispered loudly.

Severus’s mad puppet dance ended abruptly and he ended up with his arms around Remus‘s neck, his face buried in his soft hair. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deeply, and felt himself grow warm when again he smelled the intoxicating scent of patchouli and bergamot oil.

Violently blushing, Severus pushed himself away from Lupin and turned briskly on his heel to face the two young men that he had stumbled into. “Misters Potter and Malfoy!” Snape narrowed his eyes and used his most imposing voice with the two underage wizards.

And then he heard it. Just the slightest hint of a giggle. Snape’s eyes widened and his hand flew to his mouth in sudden realization. His eyes darted from Lupin to Potter, finally coming to rest on Malfoy. “Malfoy..” he said miserably, with his breath catching at the back of his throat.

Draco Malfoy was giggling. He nudged Harry in the side and pointed at Snape and then at himself, finally erupting into full blown laughter.

Severus’s head began throbbing. This was what he had feared all along. Being caught out in public wearing all of this Gryffindor paraphernalia. By one of the boys from his house. Oh, no, not just any boy. It was his luck to be seen by Malfoy. His mind raced to think of an out, and came up empty.

His humiliation only grew when the Potter brat joined in the pointing and laughing. Sweet Merlin, could this night get any worse?

Apparently, it could. Remus Lupin stood there, laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face.

In fact, all three of them were laughing hysterically, and Severus felt his insides twist in revulsion. No longer able to handle being the object of all this scorn and ridicule, Severus swiftly left the dance floor in search of the nearest toilet.

“Severus?” Lupin called after him. “Hey, hang on a minute! Let me explain..”

Snape pointedly ignored him and continued stalking to the nearest loo.

“Come on, you lot,” he said to Harry and Draco. “I think we have a bit of explaining to do.”

The three of them followed Severus into the toilet, where, they discovered, he had barricaded himself in a stall and stoutly refused to speak to any of them.

Lupin knocked loudly on the stall door. “Come out, Snape. Please?” He smiled to himself. It was the second reference made that night in regard to Snape coming out.

“Please, Professor. Open the door.” Young Malfoy had a somewhat remorseful tone to his voice.

Severus’s voice sounded cold and emotionless as he spoke. “Yes, I’m going to open this door so you can begin your preposterous laughing again. Don’t you think you’ve all had enough fun at my expense?”

Harry stepped closer to the door. “You know, Professor,” he began softly, “Draco and I had a friendly little wager tonight on the outcome of the House Cup. Can you believe he lost?” Harry paused for effect. “Yeah, he lost. So I made him...well, Professor, why don’t you come and see for yourself?”

The boy sounded earnest, and what harm would it do for him to crack the door just the tiniest bit to see what Potter was on about?

Everyone held their breath as the door cracked open ever so slightly, and the tip of Snape’s aquiline nose poked out into the light. Dark eyes glittering with malice settled on Malfoy. Then the door slammed tightly shut.

A few seconds passed. Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes felt like hours. Maybe they had been mistaken. Perhaps Snape didn’t see the absurdity and the downright hilarity of the situation.

A mellifluous chuckle began to bubble up from behind the door of the stall. The quiet chuckle became rasping laughter, and Snape finally opened the door. He wiped his eyes, letting them rest on the Malfoy heir, who was, much to his amusement, dressed exactly like himself.
’ll ’ll bet you'll never bet against an arrogant Gryffindor again, eh, Malfoy? I know I won’t, not anytime soon, anyway.

Remus stepped in closer to the trio with a serious look on his face. Using his best 'authoritative' voice, he addressed the young men. “I know it must seem awfully funny to find yourself here, dressed like Professor Snape, Draco, but what I’d like to know," an eyebrow raised for effect, "is how two underage wizards were able to get in this bar and be served beverages. I thought the Muggle age to drink legally was 18, and the last time I checked, you lot were only 17.”

Harry and Draco shuffled their feet and looked at everything except Professor Lupin. It was Harry that finally made eye contact.

“Erm...yes...well...” Harry whispered loudly. “I, uh, used magic back at Hogwarts to make us fake IDs.”

Snape's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "You did what?!”

Harry stepped closer to Draco, wrapping a protective arm around the boy. "I'm sorry, Professor Snape, but you don't know what it's like!" Harry's eyes met Snape's imploringly. "Every single day I have to listen to Ron go on about Hermione this, Hermione that. Then the look of pity on his face that says 'poor Potter, all alone, must suck to be you.' And I take it, when what I'd really like to do is tell him that I'm not all alone, I have found someone.." He pulled Draco into a tight hug. "I'm...we're happy." He sighed. "We just wanted to be somewhere together without having to hide. Even if only for an evening."

The older men couldn't argue with this kind of reasoning. Even though the wizarding world was far more advanced than the Muggles in the area of same-sex relationships, it was still looked down upon in some circles. Severus sighed pensively and thought back to his days in school. Yes, teenagers could be particularly cruel at times.

“Well.” Severus looked at the pair of them. They were so young, defiantly standing there with their arms around each other. “Mister Potter and Mister Malfoy. Will wonders never cease? What could you possibly mean by saying that I don‘t know what it‘s like? Whether you choose to believe it or not, I was 17, once.”

Remus cast a fleeting look in Snape’s direction. “Severus, please, let’s not let this get out of hand. Yes, they made a mistake, but can you blame them?” He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, rubbing his forefinger on his temple. Exhaling, he opened his eyes to look at the teen-aged lovers. “Since you’re already here, you might as well join us at our table. We can worry about the rest of it tomorrow. Agreed?”

Harry and Draco nodded in unison.

Severus merely grunted. It wasn’t the greatest response, but it was the best they could hope for under the circumstances.

~@~

The four of them sat at the table in an uneasy silence. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Severus weren’t being such a miserable git. Remus thought that it was probably just Snape’s way of paying him back for making him be seen in public looking like this. Not to mention making him look like a spastic lunatic on the dance floor.

Draco finally broke the silenceSo, So, Professor Lupin, how long have you and Snape, here been together?”

If Snape’s face could turn any whiter than the ashen shade it already was, it would have. Spots of colour rose on his cheeks, and he choked on the scotch that he had been sipping. He let down his mask for a moment, but quickly recovered, giving Malfoy his best malicious stare.

Harry couldn’t believe that Draco had the daring to have asked that. He knew his boyfriend had a bizarre sense of humour, but Snape baiting might not have been one of his better ideas for a joke. Hoping to diffuse the situation, he turned to his lover and gave him a sexy pout that he knew Draco couldn’t resist.

“Come on, let’s dance.” Harry rose and reached out to pull Draco to his feet. The song was a slow one, and both boys wound their arms around the other, Harry’s hands moving to rest seductively on Draco’s arse. They made a very attractive pair, their bodies pressed together moving in time to the music. Gryffindor and Slytherin, together. Who would have thought it?

Not Severus, who was sitting at the table and doing a slow burn. Damn Lupin for dragging him out here, when all he wanted to do was relax with a book by his fire. And damn Malfoy and his big mouth! What did the boy think he was doing, anyway? Certainly, Lupin was a very attractive man, but Snape wasn’t attracted to him.

He wasn’t, was he? Besides, he’d never been given any reason to believe that Lupin was even remotely interested in him.

Well, this is fun... Remus thought. He was nursing his beer (if you could call this watered-down Muggle beverage “beer”) and watching Snape stare vacantly at nothing. He appeared to be deep in thought, and Remus wondered what was going on inside Snape's head. He allowed his eyes to take in the mystery that was Severus Snape. The man did not possess what you could call a conventionally handsome face. On their own, his features were not really noteworthy; his nose was too large, his lips thin, and his eyes were as black as coal. But put them all together and Snape became almost striking. In the Muggle clothing he was wearing tonight, Severus’s body was a revelation, and Remus closed his eyes, imagining how good it would feel underneath his own. Remus groaned inwardly, and thought about how Severus’s voice might sound calling out his name in a moment of passion. Would it bubble up soft and husky, thick with desire? Or would he scream it in wild abandon?

Wait a minute.

He didn't want Snape, did he? He quickly shook his mind back to reality. Oh sweet Merlin, yes, he did. The question was, what, if anything, was he willing to do about it. Perhaps it was time to stop daydreaming and take action. It was time to break Severus out of his self imposed-prison.

Severus was still ruminating over Draco and his silly joke when Remus appeared in front of him with a silly grin and an odd look on his face.

“Dance with me, Severus.” Remus extended his hands as an invitation.

Severus wasn't sure he heard correctly. His gaze drifted upward to see if Lupin's eyes betrayed any hint of a prank. He found no malice in the hazel eyes that gazed so intently into his own. Before he could think about it, Severus felt himself reaching out to take hold of Remus's hands. Then he was on his feet, and in Remus's arms.

The music was slow, and Remus was pulling Severus's body in close to his for a slow dance. He was amazed at how well their bodies fit together. Remus smiled and laid his head on Severus's shoulder as they began moving to the music.

Snape thought that surely he was going to die. He could feel Lupin's warm breath lightly tickling the skin of his neck. That, combined with the scent of patchouli and bergamot wafting up from Lupin's warm body was wreaking havoc with his self control. Bloody hell! Did Remus have any idea the effect it was having on him? Severus was sure he must. Anyone with even the slightest knowledge about plants, herbs and essential oils would know that patchouli was a mild aphrodisiac. He tightened his grip on Lupin, breathing in the essence of the man. From that point on, there was no going back. Severus was a lost man.

Remus could sense the change in Severus. He lifted his head to gaze deeply into Snape's ebony eyes. The words at the end of the song they were dancing to struck a chord in him.

Life's a dance
Take a chance on love
Life's a dance
You learn as you go

"Life's a dance," Remus whispered the lyric in Severus's ear. He drew his fingers lightly down Snape's cheek and lips with shaking fingers.. "Take a chance on love.." The last bit was muffled because Remus had reached up to kiss Severus.

Severus melted into Remus's body. He parted his lips to deepen the kiss, moaning softly as their tongues met.
Remus put one hand on the back of Severus's head and the other around his waist, pulling their bodies closer together.

When the kiss ended, Remus smiled and hugged Severus tightly. "I'm really sorry for...you know..." Making a silly face, he imitated the manic marionette dance, to Severus's amusement.

Severus arched an elegant brow, feigning annoyance. "Oh, are you, now?" His voice was throaty, dripping with sensuality. "Why don't you come to the dungeon with me and show me just how sorry you are?"

Remus's stomach twisted in a knot when Severus used that voice on him. He grabbed Snape by the hand, and made a beeline for the door. They stopped only long enough to give a small wave to Harry and Draco. Then, after Remus wrapped his arm around Severus's shoulder, the pair headed back to Hogwarts.

The End?

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Life\'s A Dance