Party - open

[magicministry]

Who : everyone
Where : in the garden, on the dance floor made by Terry & Rita
When : September 21st, starting from 10PM
Rating : TBA
Summary : TBA

Comments

[poisoned_quill]

Well, Kevin was no fun at all. He'd been fairly amenable all week, but when it came time for the weeks crescendo and Rita had tried to put him in her purple swing dress, he'd huffed and refused and had what Rita would call a 'pureblood brat tantrum', so Rita had left him to his adolescent whining and transfigured herself something to wear.

She would keep in the style of the week, of course, but her taste wasn't exactly Montague's. After careful consideration, she transfigured herself a Marlene Dietrich style suit. Perfectly femme fatale, even if slightly more of the femme than was prescribed this week.

Ah, well, if Montague didn't want to participate, what was she supposed to do? Go naked? Remembering Neville's reaction to her getting into the hot tub that way, she laughed at the mere thought. So, adjusting the scarf about her neck, she made her way outside.

[poisoned_quill]

And made a beeline for the drinks table. She mixed herself something sweet - there were no garnishes available for her usual favourites, and she couldn't be bothered walking back inside to get some, and looked around.

Oh, Merlin, Neville looked fabulous. Or hilarious, depending on one's view. She approached to get a better look.

"I must say," she addressed him with a smile, "You make a much better looking man than woman, although that colour looks fabulous on you, darling. And you're a better sport than Kevin."

[nevilletherebel]

Neville turned as he heard a voice behind him, and smiled at Rita. He was recovering from the...incident now, and he really didn't want any estrangement, particularly if they were both staying in the house.

He took her drink from her and put it down carefully, then offered his hand, tilting his head to one side.

"Would you dance?"

[poisoned_quill]

Rita didn't know quite what he was doing when his fingers closed around her glass, but she relaxed her hand and let him take it anyway, intrigued, then smiled at the offer.

"Of course," she replied, taking his hand.

What was this? A peace offering? Or something more? Rita didn't know, but she would just take it at face value. She certainly wasn't about to assume anything with Neville anymore.

She lifted her hand as if to lay it on his arm, but stopped, and laughed.

"Do you lead, or do I?"

[nevilletherebel]

"I wouldn't know how to dance if I wasn't leading," he admitted, placing one hand on her hip and one on her shoulder and guiding her out onto the dance floor.

"Maestro," he called, and the player changed to give him an appropriate song. He smiled and looked back up at Rita.

"You don't forget how to dance, after all, do you?"

[poisoned_quill]

Rita smiled, wrapping one hand around his bicep and laying the other against his hip, and moving onto the floor with him

[nevilletherebel]

"You haven't the slightest idea how bizarre it is to be this tall, and suddenly see over everyone's heads. It's been six years, but you never really get used to it...you always expect to have to look up like you did when you were five

[poisoned_quill]

"I don't, no," she smiled. "And I don't think I'll breathe anything about wanting to, either, else the Ministry might decide polyjuice would be amusing next week. I can cope with Kevin's clothes, but I'd draw the line at his body. Merlin, who knows where that's been

[nevilletherebel]

"McGonagall always has a partner for the school dances," he said, sweetly. "She is the most charming dancer, with an ability that empathises her own assets." He raised an eyebrow at Rita, daring her to suggest anything, then moving on. "As much as many will suggest that my dancing with her is a schoolboy crush, I assure you it's nothing but respect."

"I danced with my grandmother too, while she was alive..."

He paused, continuing his steady pace as he thought for a long moment; remembered, then looked back up at Rita and smiled. "I apologise. Where were we?"

"Ah yes...she did only teach me the waltz," he said, honestly, but then he turned Rita in his arms and crossed his own over her chest and smiled. "But I am much older, and much wiser now. I've learnt a lot of new things since I've left school.

[poisoned_quill]

The challenging little eyebrow made her laugh. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of suggesting anything," she smiled. "Though I can't say I could blame you if you did. I think I did, when I was about fifteen. All those stern teacher looks over the top of her glasses, and getting one of those rare smiles out of her when my transfigurations were particularly good. Don't tell anyone that, though, will you? They'll kick me out of the Slytherin alumnus." She chuckled, the the smile softened when he mentioned his grandmother, and she granted him his moment of silence.

She wasn't expecting the sudden spin, and let out a gasp of laughter as she went round, still recovering when he caught her and drew her back toward him again. "Oh yes," she smirked, "Because you're so terribly old now. One foot in the grave, you." He spun her back in response, and she grinned at him.

"You're going to have to take those shoes off if you really want to dance, otherwise you'll break an ankle. Because I'm going to wear you out."

[nevilletherebel]

"At least that's less embarassing than fancying Snape. Pansy says there isn't anyone in her year who didn't." He released Rita and knelt down to remove the high heeled shoes. He could have kicked them off, but it might have upset Ginny, and he didn't want to do that.

Having set them aside carefully he took Rita's hands in his own, then frowned. The music was still too slow. He coughed, and it changed for him, and he brought Rita to arm's length and turned with her, swivelling his own hips in the other direction to his heels.

"Ancient. Why don't you show a young, inexperienced brat how real swingers do it?" he challenged.

[poisoned_quill]

Rita laughed. "Snape was still in nappies when I started Hogwarts, and I don't think anyone fancied Slughorn. Oh dear, am I giving away my age?"

She smiled when the new song started up. "Martin Mintsinger. Big Brother must have heard me."

Rita moved with him, and the movements were a little jerky at first while they found speed and rhythm. She was a bit rusty, really, but she wasn't about to tell him that, especially when he looked so cheeky as he challenged her.

Swung in, out, in again, pulled herself close with both hands and let him twirl her. Back again, grinning and flushed. Twisting, kicking her heels, pulling herself close again. He was rather good, and they moved well together.

"Come on then," she breathed. "Can you go faster?"

[nevilletherebel]

"Oh, but that's no excuse. I..." he quarelled with his own confidence for a moment before going on, "I know for a fact that you're attracted to younger men. Pansy says that's his authority and clear power were attractive. And his voice, apparently. To me, it was like nails on a blackboard..."

He swung again, crossparried and turned Rita over under his arms. "I heard Draco talking about his hands, too. Said they were indicative of something else, but buttoned up quite quickly on the subject."

Laughing he turned her again, kicked and shimmied. "Faster? I'll try, but much more of this and I'm going to slip a disk," he laughed again, teasing.

[poisoned_quill]

"Oh, I won't deny that for a moment," she said, "But I didn't know him very well. I suspect we might have disagreed on who had the power, though, if it had come to that. Which could have made it fantastic, or terrible

[nevilletherebel]

"Oh don't!" he cried, in dismay, closing his eyes tightly and almost tripping over her feet. He came back to himself, looking up at her - and then they were moving again. "I don't need that image of Snape in my head, thank you very much..."

Around they went, and the dancefloor disappeared under them; miles of it, as they traversed.

"And I imagine you know your own dirt too. Merlin only knows what you heard about people during the war..." He glanced upwards briefly, then turned Rita, holding her against his chest and leaning forwards into a rolling pass. "Though I suggest against baring all you know, after all, these are the same people who are voting for you to stay in."

[poisoned_quill]

She couldn't help her laugh when he faltered, but there was no malice in it, just amusement at the strength of his reaction, and a cheeky smile before they were moving again.

He pulled her back against him, close, and pressed her forwards and they rolled and swayed, the move almost an imitation of...

...But just as soon they were out of it, and moving again, and she was spun and dipped back and righted again. "There were a lot of things in the war, but not much we could print with the censors. And of course," a swing, a smile; "One doesn't dish on one's contacts."

The song was reaching it's crescendo, and Rita just might have been running out of breath. "I'll let you throw me over your shoulders, if you want to. Ever done that before, or would it be too much?" Pull in, pull out, spin to the side.