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"Amazing. Well, ladies and gentlemen? Can I get a round of applause for number 9?" Jon stood up a bit straighter, his hands folded across his chest. Number twenty two looked dumbstruck. He tilted his head at an angle to gauge Jon's face, comparing mentally that it was actually the same person as the statue.

The entire ballroom erupted in a loud cheer. Everyone from Salles and Estagal rose to their feet in applause. "Le Chevalier Immortel!"

"Alexandria?" Monsieur Valmont prompted, trying his best to be heard over the din. The noise grew louder. "Do we have a winner?"

"I have no choice. Number nine it is!" she exclaimed, pulling off her blindfold. Alexandria laughed as she saw the three of them.

Harry felt relieved. "Congratulations," he said drily to Jon, offering his fist. Jon hit it, a wry smile on his face. Harry indicated the standing ovation with a tilt of his head. "What us 'Immortal heroes do for fun', huh?"

"It appears so," Jon replied under his breath. Jon raised his hand in acknowledgement and gave the crowd a small bow. The noise grew even louder.

With a natural grace Alexandria came over to number twenty two, held his arms in both hands and gave him cheek kisses on both sides of the face. The crowd clapped in appreciation of the gesture. She did this as well to Harry who smiled, wished her all the best and a happy birthday, and went back to his seat. He noticed Tonks was not clapping as wholeheartedly as the others.

Jon and Alexandria cut the cake . While Alexandria was leaning close to him with their backs to the crowd she said, "I have only heard rumours about the statue. I did not know it was about you, Lord Black."

"It was not my decision, nor my sole responsibility," he responded humbly. "We worked as a unit," he explained.

"Sure," she drawled, teasing him. "Play along with me, and do not shy away," she whispered, winking mischievously. Jon nodded.

They turned towards the guests and fed each other a piece of cake. A polite round of clapping followed. Alexandria slowly faced Jon, her eyes looking up to his. The crowd simmered in anticipation, almost willing this to happen. Jon took the small step forward as Alexandria went on tip toe, leaning in. Jon bent his head lower and both of them shared a light kiss on the lips. The crowd began to cheer even louder than before.

Sarah had seen it coming and had her camera ready, clicking away as the they came together and separated. They both turned to face the tables with broad grins. Jon smiled broadly, even though his posture was tense. Alexandria stepped closer to his side, keeping her fingers in the crook of his elbow as she made a dainty wave of thanks to the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen! La princesse royale et le chevalier immortel!" Monseiur Valmont announced. The curtain on the stage opened up behind them and a full musical band began playing an upbeat melody. The clapping continued as they both separated with a small bow and went back to their seats.

"Like a fairy tale hero, Jon. Well done," Sarah congratulated him as he sat down. "You could be making some nice galleons if they let this go to print!" she showed Jon and Harry the pictures.

"Oh really?" Tonks asked. "How much you talking about?"

"Probably a hundred. Maybe two if you're lucky!" Sarah waggled her eyebrows at them. "We pay premium commission to our clients if the issue sells out!"

Tonks scoffed. "You guys will be rolling in it," she added drily, taking her refilled wine glass to her lips. Jon frowned at her tone.

"Is something wrong?" he asked Tonks, scanning the crowd. He noticed that tables nearer to the stage were being moved further back for dancing. "How many did you have to drink?"

"What, are you my big brother now?" Tonks muttered to herself, draining her glass. "Let's go dancing," she suggested to Sarah, Daphne, and the four other girls. "We can grab something at the bar there as well. Excuse us," she said to the adults still seated at the table. The girls nodded in agreement, and Jon rose from his chair as Tonks lead the girls towards the front. He took his seat and caught Mr. Rabiot's eye.

"You all right there, Mr. Black?" he grinned. "You're a lucky man."

"It does not feel like it sometimes," Jon admitted. "Harry, Neville..." he eyed Richard and raised an eyebrow at his parents. Mr. Rabiot raised an eyebrow back as if Jon was raving mad. "Ahem. Harry, Neville, on me." Jon got up and Harry and Neville fell in line. Jon made his way to the front and instead of turning left to go to the bar where Tonks and the others were ordering drinks, he made a right and went out the grand double doors.

"I need some air. I could do with some light sparring right about now," Jon said as he approached the outside bar. A few other patrons were outside as well, chatting animatedly and smoking pipes and cigarettes. "Neville. Are you familiar with these parties?" he stared into the poor boy's face.

"Uhh..no..first time...really. No. I shouldn't say that. My gran used to take me to functions as a little boy, sorta like Richard."

"Mate, your gran is still taking you, sorta like Richard," Harry explained as he took a swig of his first alcoholic drink. It burned nicely down his throat, then he began to cough. Jon sipped his wine slowly, scanning the crowd.

"Well. This is a bit different. She said in no uncertain terms that I was not to be tailing her around and to be a bit more... brave.. " Neville finished lamely. "Seeing a friendly face has really made a difference." Neville took a swig of a beer and swallowed it calmly, nodding as he put back down the bottle. "I don't know how you guys do that wine thing. Carling or nothing for me."

"Neville, you drink?"

"Yeah, once in a while Gran invites me for a drink when she wants to relax over the summer holidays. Ever since she heard I stood up to you she's been a bit more, lenient. Told me it took guts to do that."

"Oh," Harry said, feeling a bit embarrassed now that he remembered what they did to him in first year. It was a strange feeling, recalling something that technically happened only a couple of months back.

But to him, was literally a lifetime ago.

"You two had words?" Jon asked.

"Nah, not really. But Neville tried to stop us from leaving the tower after curfew."

"You did? Harry you shouldn't have -"

"It was Hermione," Neville cut him off.

Jon looked to Harry then Neville, then back again, then laughed raucously, his head tilted back.

"Thought you said she was a scholar type!"

"She's capable of powerful spells when she is ready," Harry shrugged.

"Yeah. Still got a slight bump on the back of my head for that," Neville grumbled. "Uh oh. Flint is coming this way."

"Potter," Marcus Flint sauntered over with his date walking next to him. "Shea, get us something to drink. Potter, you wanted a juice or something?" he said.

"Nah, I'm good." Harry took another sip of his drink, refraining from grimacing. His body definitely wasn't accustomed to alcohol at this age.

"Isn't it a bit past your bedtime?" Flint said, accepting his drink from his date. "Shea. This is Jon Black, Neville Longbottom, and everyone knows Harry Potter. Shea Carrow," he introduced. Harry expected a typical combination of insults, but Shea smiled pleasantly and said, "Pleased to meet all of you."

"A pleasure, milady," Jon said smoothly, watching directly in her eyes. Shea raised one eyebrow at him, hiding a smile behind her wine glass as she sipped.

"Hannah wants to know where you went," she directed at Neville. Neville straightened up, taking another large gulp.

"Oh?" Neville enquired, turning. "And what else did she say?" Neville asked as he leant back against the bar.

"She sent her to fetch you," Flint grumbled. "Are you that thick, Longbottom?"

"Thick?" Neville scoffed as he put down his beer. "Marcus, this is your third year you've been kept back at Hogwarts. How old are you now, twenty?" Longbottom countered. Harry coughed up his drink, laughing. Shea hid her laughter behind her hand. Flint drew for his wand but Jon was faster and clamped a firm hand on his, preventing him from retrieving it from his pants pocket.

"Uh-huh," Jon remonstrated. "It was only banter amongst schoolmates. No need for that," Jon warned, both of their arms tensing against each other. Flint's scrawny arm was no match for Jon's proper stance and the way he controlled his wrist. "I am going to let you go," Jon said calmly. Flint shrugged his arm away from him then, giving Jon a glare. Neville, Jon and Harry didn't flinch as he glowered at the three of them. Flint drained his wine glass and set it down hard on the bar table, intentionally knocking down Neville's beer as he walked away. The bartender didn't miss a beat and already had a next cold one sliding down the slick counter.

Neville caught it smoothly and took another sip in one fluid motion. The three boys laughed as Flint disappeared into the crowd. Shea shook her head. "The things a girl does to go to a party," she sighed loudly as she started after him.

"Forget him," Neville declared, taking a deep swig. "Have a drink with us!" he invited.

She contemplated Neville a moment. "Sure. Why not?" Another wine glass was presented to her. After a few minutes of talking between the four of them Shea leaned over to Neville. "Let's go dance!" she said in his ear, taking up her purse and pulling him along.

"Jon, Harry..." Neville called as he was being pulled away. "On me."

"You heard the man," Harry relayed the order on, eyeing the enticing way Shea's hips moved as she dragged Neville along.

"At once," Jon agreed, making a quick step to catch up.

The dance floor had dramatically filled during the ten minutes they were outside. Shea steered Neville towards Hannah and Daphne, speaking loudly to be heard over the music. "I'm borrowing him a bit!" she giggled . "Take Potter and Black in the mean time!" As Harry and Jon caught up, Daphne stepped forward into Harry's trajectory, almost right between his feet. Harry froze for a moment, looking into Daphne's blank expression. The both of them just stared at each other for a second. Harry offered his hand, palm up.

"May I have this dance?"

Daphne smiled, and rest her hand lightly in his. They began to dance, Harry remembering McGonagall's lessons as if it were yesterday. Daphne wasn't the most elegant, but she knew the steps and they flitted over the dance floor without any major hiccups.

"You know how to dance," was the first thing she ever said to him. "You don't seem the type," she admitted.

"I try," he responded. "You're quite good yourself," he complimented. She smiled again, looking into his face.

"I don't know what it is about you," Daphne said. "But you seem different since last year."

"Oh? How so? This is the first time I'm talking to you," he countered.

"You seem composed. Not afraid anymore to be this world famous wizard. That's all," she said, coming a bit closer on the next bar. She did a smooth turn into his arms and Harry found himself holding her around her waist, with her back firmly against him. After swaying a for a few more bars in this position she twisted in his arms. "Your wand is pressing into me," she declared, looking back at him. Harry went mute for a moment until he realize that it was his spare wand in his vest pocket pressing into her, even though he was intrigued by this weird Slytherin dancing in his arms.

Harry spun her around and now they were in the normal hand on her waist position.

"Oh? You rather I did this?"

She laughed. On the next bar she repeated the turn and now her back was pressed up against him. "No, I rather this." Harry spotted Jon dancing with Hannah but Jon was being a total gentleman about it, even though he moved ten times more gracefully than Harry thought a man should be able to.

Daphne held Harry's arms across her stomach and swayed for the few more bars of the song. The song ended and another one started up. Daphne released herself and stepped away from him. She stared at him a moment, the hint of a smile tugging her lips.

"Thank you for dancing with me," Harry said politely. She nodded, and retreated towards the rest of the group of girls.

Harry joined Jon and Neville who had also finished their dances and were now standing behind Tonks, Sarah, Shea and Rylai who were chatting with each other, moving their hips in time to the music.

"Scotch on the rocks for me," Harry called the bartender. "Wine and beer, for them," he indicated Jon and Neville. "Wine, Tonks?" he asked her. She nodded. "And Sarah?"

"Wine for me too please," she said. Harry asked the Rabiot sisters, Shea, Melisse, Hannah and Daphne what they wanted. Harry ordered all the drinks and the three boys helped carry them to the girls.

"To friendship," he said as a toast, raising his glass.

"Friendship," they declared and all of them clinked their glasses and took a sip. They chatted amiably for a few minutes and Neville went to dance with Hannah when the next song started.

"Quite a crew you've put together," Tonks commended Harry. "You're like a bloody magnet."

"I am? Why do you say that." Harry said, taking his drink in tiny sips.

Tonks turned towards him, leaning her hand against the bar and creating a barrier between them and the others from hearing her.

"Why do you pretend you don't know what you are doing?" Tonks hissed. "You... you're just... ah I just can't describe it."

"I'm just being friendly, that's all," Harry shrugged.

"Whatever," Tonks eyed him, unsure of what game Harry was playing. She leaned in even closer. "You've recruited two Slytherin girls into your little crew within minutes of speaking to them. Coming from you, the hero of wizardry, that should be an impossible feat. That Greengrass girl was melting in your arms," she teased. "Shea has been watching you a couple times as well, as if trying to figure you out. You've got moves."

Harry felt a heat run up his neck as Tonks spoke in his ear. At least he could blame it on the five entire sips of scotch he had for the night.

"Neville is the one who convinced her, not me," Harry defended himself.

"That boy gravitated towards you, so you're still the hub of this wheel."

"We're all enjoying ourselves, right?" Harry cut out the direction this conversation was going.

"Yeah," Tonks admitted looking over Harry's shoulder. "And another one," Tonks grinned. "You've got some debts to pay. She's been covertly looking out for you two since you stepped outside. Go get 'em, tiger." Tonks smoothly turned around and began talking to Jon and Melisse.

On the end of the bar almost right under the stage, boy number twenty two, Fleur, Alexandria and one or two familiar faces from Salles and Estagal were chatting animatedly. Harry observed Alexandria's body language and the way she angled herself slightly away from the circle , opening up her front to the dance floor. Harry made small talk with Neville as he timed the ending of the song.

"Hold my beer," Neville said, giving it to Harry before the song came to a close. Harry smirked as Neville probably had the same idea as he did, except he was going to tackle Shea again who was unconsciously or probably consciously shaking her tail a bit in Neville's direction. Harry placed Neville's beer on the bar and walked directly across to Alexandria, making sure she saw him approach.

"Hi," Harry said as the song ended and another began.

"Heeyyy," Alexandria smiled at him.

"Do you want to dance?"

"Oui," she said, stepping out away from her friends. Harry offered his hand and she took it, placing the other on his shoulder.

As soon as the music started, Harry realized that this girl was a trained dancer and Harry was nowhere as good as she was. She understood this as well, and made things a bit easier for him with simpler movements.

"It's not every day a regular guy can dance with a princess in a castle," Harry said. "You look beautiful tonight," he complimented her.

"Thank you," she grinned. "Not every day a regular girl gets to dance with a legendary hero," she responded cheekily.

"Well, it's your birthday, so that sort of makes it special. I'm not really a hero, I didn't actually do anything when I was a baby," he sighed. They danced a bit closer on the next four bars, then came apart on the next two, turned and twirled. The bridge of the song was a slower tempo and their bodies came close. Alexandria rest her head on his shoulder.

"You are a wonderful dancer," Alexandria commended. "You do not stick to convention, you make it easy for anyone to dance with."

"I think it should be fluid and natural," Harry shrugged, smiling.

"You should write me. I've been hearing some interesting stories and I would like to find out how true they are," she smiled prettily at him. "I prefer my knowledge, first hand," she whispered in his ear. Harry felt a warning bell tingle down his spine. Even if it was an error in translation on her part, that tone and invitation was quite intimate.

"Sure, I'll write," Harry gulped. Alexandria nodded, and rest her head on his shoulder once more for the remaining bars of the song. They swayed to the music.

The song came to a close and Harry thanked her for dancing and made his way back across to their group.

The night progressed and Harry gave up on his barely touched scotch and kept to non alcoholic drinks as he danced with nearly everyone in their group, and Alexandria again. Jon was more conservative, but he did dance with Sarah, Alexandria, and Fleur.

Try as he might, he couldn't work up the nerve to ask Tonks to dance. As he stood there fuming by the bar as number twenty two danced with Tonks, Daphne appeared out of nowhere and came very close to him, standing barely an inch away from his midsection, her feet together between his spread legs. Harry felt literally cornered, trapped between her and the bar. She leaned over his shoulder and ordered an orange juice from the bartender. Harry had previously noticed she was the only one not drinking alcohol the whole night. He should have done so as well because the mixture of the few sips of scotch and the one glass of wine he had with his meal was intoxicating.

She folded her arms in front of him, sipping her juice, her arm brushing against his belly in faint touches. She stood there , saying nothing.

"I liked how you danced earlier." She leaned forward and put her weight against him. She wrapped her arms around his torso and gave him a hug. Harry closed his arms around her and they danced slowly, closely, just moving softly to the music. When the music was done Daphne smiled at him, said thanks, and stepped aside.

When Tonks finished dancing with twenty two, she smiled a wry grin and came across to Harry.

"Whoa there Casanova," Tonks giggled. Her face was a bit rosy from dancing and maybe a tad from too much to drink. "Like you got a not-so-secret admirer," she whispered in his ear.

Harry sorta wished she wouldn't do that. He was already partially excited about the close contact with Daphne and Tonks slightly slurred voice made him feel on fire.

"It's alright. I got a feeling she just needed a nice long hug," he said softly. "She's nice, a bit quiet, but nice."

"You're a good guy Harry," Tonks sighed, resting her forehead comically against his shoulder. "She likes you and you aren't taking advantage."

"Its ...interesting," Harry added. "Maybe a bit fast, but I can handle it."

"I can be your bodyguard." She grinned at him, her white teeth forming two perfect rows in her mouth. Harry could not but help notice the way she was leaning forward he could see down her dress. He kept his eyes on the level of her teeth.

Harry laughed. "Not saying you won't make an excellent bodyguard, but I'm ok. I don't mind."

"I'll stick around, just in case," She said, playfully taking his arm and wrapping it around her waist. She leaned her back up against him.

It just coincidentally happened that a new song began to play and Tonks began to sway in time against his pelvis as he leant against the bar. Her dancing felt like nothing he has felt before in his life. It assaulted his senses with rapture. As the main chorus started he was painfully aroused against her soft body.

Tonks pressed against him and realized what she had done. Even still, she continued swaying for the entire chorus then eventually stepped away from him and casually picked up her drink from the bar. She emptied her wine and leant back over to his ear.

"I'm going to the bathroom. Do not move from this spot until I come back," she slurred. "Especially not outside." She turned and left.

Harry nodded even though she had already turned her back to him. He let out a deep breath and ordered some water to help him cool down. Within five minutes she was back and leaned on the bar next to him as if nothing had happened.

"Marcus Flint is nowhere to be seen. Shea is still here. But he is gone," she said casually. "Did you steal his girl?" she added in a tone more suited to querying if he remembered to brush his teeth this morning.

"No."

"Ok."

"Can I lean up on you again?" she said after a brief pause.

"Yes."

"Good."

She planted herself against him and drove him absolutely nuts for the next hour until the night sky began to lighten. At the end of the night, Tonks turned in his arms and draped her arms on his shoulders.

She stared into his eyes. Her hips still swayed against his to the music.

Harry couldn't believe what was happening. Something was wrong. Or something was extremely right.

"I'm going to tell you something, Harry, and you are going to be cool, very cool," she said huskily.

"All right. What is it?"

Tonks brought her lips two inches away from his.

"You definitely aren't twelve."

Harry didn't even give away his position by flinching, even though all his Occlumency training snapped up an impenetrable wall.

"Oh? Why you say that?" he said with a tone of disbelief.

She grinned at him, her lips touching his nose as she spoke.

"The chair charm registers only males fifteen and older and unattached. Right now I've got a wand pointed at the back of your neck."

AN: Thank you for reading. I hope the dancing and ballroom antics were not a turn off to any readers that wanted action. I pray that the chapter still was enjoyable and you would read and review!

Until we meet again

TDLN