In which there is an interlude of dancing


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Cho Chang was sweet and pretty, with a charming Scottish lilt and bright eyes, and Lav liked her instantly.

She hadn’t been expecting to, of course, but she easily won her heart when she’d grabbed Ron’s hands and tugged him out onto the dance floor right under Pucey’s nose.

CJ rolled up beside her at the edge of the slippery parquet flooring, and Lav slanted him a look. “She’s nice.”

“Yeah,” he answered, grinning.

The DJ was playing something half-slow and awkward, a request, and Ron was flushed and Cho was laughing up at him, her slim, narrow fingers nearly eclipsed by his wide hands.

Lav cleared her throat, going for more overt friendliness than usual, since he’d been mostly bearable for the past week. “You’ve been with her awhile?”

He turned to gaze up at her, bemused. “We’re just friends.”

Lav almost bit out, “No way,” except CJ seemed completely sincere, and for a smart man he was apparently very, very dense. She debated letting him in on Cho’s really-not-secret-love for him – if she wasn’t in formal wear, Lav suspected she’d be sporting a tee with CJ’s handsome, grinning face on it; the girl practically glowed around him – but it really wasn’t her place. Plus, his obliviousness made him seem slightly more human.

“Ron has no rhythm at all,” CJ said conversationally, just as Lav lifted her pint to her lips.

The spit-take was a near thing, but she managed to swallow the ale, pressing a hand to her chest and choking on a laugh.

“What?” CJ asked, bewildered.

“Ron,” she wheezed, then shook her head. “Ron has nothing but rhythm.”

“So you say.” His amused eyes doubted her claim.

“No, honestly. He’s just always been a bit clumsy on his feet. Give him a few minutes to settle in.” Lav nodded decisively.

Finally, the music exploded into something fast and lush, and Cho’s confident and cajoling grin seemed to rub off on Ron as he swung her around the dance floor, laughing. His big feet caught the upbeat with perfect time, and Lav recognized a bastardized waltz somewhere in there before he let the small girl go and lifted his arms with abandon.

Cho shook her arse and waved at CJ, and Lav marvelled again how the boy could completely miss the infatuated smile.

“Come on,” Lav said, snagging CJ’s glass and downing the rest of his wine, then pushing both of their empties onto a passing waiter, “we’re going in.”

“You dance?” he asked, brows arched in mock-incredulousness.

She gave him a hairy eye. “You tell anyone and I will kill you.”

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