Minerva McGonagall frowned as she sat along the wall. The music was too loud, her friends were too drunk, and a charm had gone awry with one of the mistletoes and she was now being followed.

"I had intended to make my move tonight," Minerva lied to herself in barely audible whisper. In her heart she honestly doubted that she was willing to risk her friendship despite anyone's words.

"Aww, Min," Xiomara Hooch said, sitting down next to her. "Buck up!" She took another sip of her rather large fire whiskey before offering it to Minerva, who politely declined.

"I'm getting tired," Minerva said, forcing a yawn.

Xiomara's eyes widened. "No! Not yet! She can't leave yet!" Xiomara mentally shouted.

"I think I'll retire for the eve--"

"No!" Xiomara interrupted. "Not yet. I haven't given you your gift yet! Stay a while longer?" she pleaded.

"Oh, all right," Minerva sighed. "But just another hour!"

Xiomara smiled and couldn't help herself. She kissed Minerva full on the mouth. "That's all I'll need.!" Minerva was still reeling from the kiss. "Oh… Mistletoe, you know!" Xiomara got up and all but ran to the band.

"What was that?" Minerva whispered, raising her fingers to her lips. "Surely, Xiomara doesn't… She's not… No." She promptly dismissed the thought.

Or, at lest, she tried to.

"We're going to take a fifteen minute break, right after this song," the conductor announced. "But first, Ladies' Choice. Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, if you'll start us off?"

Minerva looked up, shocked. "Pardon?"

"It's Ladies' Choice, Minerva," Poppy Pomfrey began, sitting down next to her friend.

"And you're to start the asking," Ponoma Sprout finished, pointing across the practically empty dance floor to where Albus Dumbledore sat talking to a smiling Xiomara Hooch.

Poppy pushed Ponoma's arm down. "Subtle!" she hissed.

Minerva McGonagall took a deep breath and stood "I will ask," she told herself.

"Go for it!" Ponoma whispered.

Minerva began her trek across the dance floor.

"It's Ladies Choice," she said as she reached the pair. "I was wondering if…" Minerva stopped breathed deeply again. "May I have this dance?"

Xiomara nodded encouragingly, proud of her best friend, as she looked from Minerva to Dumbledore. She waited to hear Dumbledore's expected answer and was surprised to have her own hand grabbed.

"I'm awfully sorry, Min," Xiomara said sadly, thinking Minerva had panicked when Albus hadn't answered.

"For what?" Minerva asked, stopping in the middle of the dance floor and turning to Xiomara.

Minerva took Xiomara's hand and placed it around her own lower back before putting her own arm around Xiomara's upper back and taking Xiomara's other hand.

"Wait? What's going on?" Xiomara asked, honestly confused as Minerva led them in a waltz.

"Well, right now, I'm leading. But, that's mostly because you weren't moving," Minerva answered.

"But… I thought…" Xiomara began, looking back at Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling brightly.

Minerva tutted, "Ladies' Choice and I chose you. I'll always choose you."

"But what about Dumbledore?" Xiomara asked, barely believing her luck.

"Albus? And me? Never! I'm more of a Quidditch gal kind of gal," she smiled.

"But, I don't understand," Xiomara argued.

Minerva shushed her, covering Xiomara's lips with one of her fingers. "You don't have to. Just do as you've told me countless times: Trust your emotions. What are they telling you?"

"They're telling me to shut up and kiss you since I've wanted to for so long," Xiomara answered, slowing their pace.

"Well? Are you going to lis--"

Xiomara stopped dancing and closed the gap between them as she kissed Minerva, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"Merry Christmas, Minerva."

Minerva moved closer, brushing her lips against Xiomara's. "Merry Christmas," she replied before kissing Xiomara.

"So, I suppose you were all wrong, then? Judging from your surprise, everyone really didn't know who it was that I'm in love with?"

"No," Xiomara answered truthfully. "Clearly, we all thought it was Dumbledore."

"Well, I always was the bright one, wasn't I? I'm not surprised you were all clueless," Minerva teased.

"Yu are the bright one," Xiomara nodded. "Yet, you still hadn't known that I have always been in love with you. What does that say?"

"It says that I'm blind," Minerva laughed. "But isn't that how it's supposed to be? Isn't that how the saying goes?"

"What?" Xiomara asked, confused again.

"Love is blind."