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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Right. So I have a slight confession to make. When I went to check the reviews for the last chapter I put up, I was sorely disappointed. I, personally, rather liked the ending. I mean, I spent so much time working on it to make it all happy and coherent but just vague enough to allow imagnation to have some room to work among the readers. Well, I went back to read the ending and came to a decision. I AM AN IDIOT! Right, so apparently I missed like four pages of the last chapter that were supposed to be uploaded with it. Reading it over, I realize that if you thought the previous chapter was the ending...it doesn't make much sense at all. I went back to my story, and sure enough, there at the very end, were four little pages all cute and innocent just waiting to be uploaded. Idiot, idiot, idiot. (Bangs head on counter). So I apologize profusely...and here is the rest of Chapter 29...now renamed, Chapter 30. SORRY!
DISCLAIMER: Not mine unless it doesn't belong to J. K. Rowling. The chapter title is from a David Bowie song. Go Bowie!
Dancing Life
Chapter 30: Let's Dance
The Great Hall was silent as Skye strode up from the "front row" to the middle of the "stage". Clearing her throat, she waited for silence to run through the Hall.
She allowed herself a quick, tight smile. "I would like to thank all of you for coming to witness our performance tonight. Our last dance tonight will be The Dance of Life, performed by Draco Malfoy and Ginevra Weasley."
Without further ado, she swept from the stage and the lights in the hall dimmed as she waved her wand. The entire hall, with its accumulated students, parents, and teachers, went silent in expectation.
A soft golden light lit up the stage and a single figure swung gracefully onto the stage in a pattern of simple, yet elegant steps. Everyone who knew of him had anticipated Draco Malfoy to be a skilled and graceful dancer. It was a given.
However, everyone was astonished, even the Weasleys, when Ginny Weasley twirled fantastically out onto the stage next to her partner. It seemed more than grace and ease…in fact, from those two points, she wasn't anything extraordinary. But the vivacity…the pure energy put into every single movement was unbelievable.
Draco seemed to be similarly taken aback by the way Ginny was throwing herself into her steps. For a moment his timing was off and his movements uncertain. But then Ginny moved into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck in the move the dance called for. So quickly the audience couldn't see, she pressed her lips to his neck and whispered in his ear 'I love you'.
After that, no one knew where Draco ended and Ginny began. Their movements had been synchronized and in tune in their earlier practices. Now they moved perfectly as one, no slight defect or tiny misstep in their entire performance.
The audience was completely spell-bound; captivated. Fred and George, who had looked murderous when Ginny wrapped her arms around Draco's neck, now watched on, for once in their lives absoltuely silent and attentive to what they were seeing. Mrs. Weasley had glowered at the blonde boy when he had walked on stage...however, the second he began to swing Ginny around in a complex swing bit, she melted at the smiles they had on their faces...they were solely for each other. To them, the hall was empty. Even Mr. Weasley wiped his glasses disbelievingly and stared in shock at the looks on the faces of the two young people on stage.
Ron and Hermione were absolutely speechless, and Hermione turned to Ron at one point with an awe-struck grin on her face. Ron reciprocated it perfectly and they went back to watching, fingers entwining with each other.
By the time they were finally finished, Draco sweeping Ginny up swiftly in his arms, the entire Hall broke out with wild applause. Ginny could vaguely see the twins jumping up on their chairs and stomping around like mad dragons, cheering their baby sister on.
Ginny was grinning, her breath coming in pants, as Draco set her down. She turned to Draco, who was looking similarly out of breath and exhilarated. "You did great." She said, wiping a stray strand of hair from her damp forehead. Draco slid arms around her waist, pulling her gently against him. "We did great." He corrected softly.
Ginny pulled away a little, and he released her immediately, thinking she didn't want her parents to see them holding each other, especially after that incident with the Howler. However, Ginny merely wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed her lips against his.
Draco was so surprised he nearly let her go. But her firm, sure, hold on him and the raise in the volume level of the Hall (including a few wolf whistles and catcalls Draco was sure came from her twins brothers) was enough to persuade him to pull her into a deeper kiss.
Ginny finally broke away, flushed and breathing irregularly. She glanced over at her family. Her mother was still clapping, tears of pride streaming down her face…her father had an arm wrapped around Mrs. Weasley's waist, and was looking slightly uncertain, though was also applauding soundly…the twins were miming kissing motions and making lewd gestures at the two on stage…Molly hit them firmly over the head with her handbag…Ron was grinning satisfactorily, holding Hermione's hand subtly…Harry had his arms around his Ravenclaw girlfriend; both were grinning madly…Skye was pulling Janet out of the Hall…most likely to do some serious snogging.
Ginny turned to Draco, beaming madly. He was grinning back at her just as widely. "We did it." He said, giving her shoulders a light squeeze. She stared up at him…saw something she agreed with in his silvery eyes…something long…something that meant forever…it was frightening in its intensity, but comforting in its sincerity…she smiled, taking in the full meaning of his words and what they meant and would mean.
She felt a tear slip from her eye as she leaned in to kiss him again.
"Yes we did."