Dance Magic, Dance

[Jareth Wardwin]

The night of the Yule Ball had finally arrived.
Jareth had made a point to give himself extra time to fix his hair to perfection:
He may have been part-goblin but that didn't make him any less vain.

The atmosphere was already alive with ballroom music, girls in fancy dresses, boys in dress robes, all dancing.
He stood by the door for a moment feeling a little worried Artemis had stood him up.
It was peculiar how in the few days prior to the Yule Ball he had realized how much he liked her.

A breeze behind Jareth, lurking by the great doors, caused him to turn around and look to see a swarm of couples on their way to the ball.
He tugged at his 'dress robes' nervously.
Perhaps Artemis had found somebody better to go with.. Perhaps a better looking student.. a taller student.. possibly a prefect had asked her.
Jareth began to feel sick.

 

[Artemis Tuuri]

Artemis was pacing around upstairs. Obviously the ball had started, and the common room was almost empty, but for the first time in her life Art was truly nervous. The last few weeks leading up to the ball had been spent furiously sewing her dress, and she had to admit that it had turned out wonderfully. Just in case she pulled out her wand and, for the final flourish, cast a shimmering spell over the dress. The midnight blue stars began to shine in the dim light, and now it was time to change.

She was usually late to events, mostly classes and Quidditch games, but now she was starting to panic. Art gave a poke to her perfectly styled hair as she pulled on the dress as fast as was humanly- er, part-gobliny possible. Finally she slipped on her heels, added a tiny star to her upper cheek and stared at herself in the mirror. Artemis didn't recognise herself. She never wore make up, and today was simple and elegant. Soft powder, a thin line of mascara and clear, shining lips, nothing more. "Wow." she blinked.

It was time to move. Jareth was probably down there already and waiting for her. What if he thinks I stood him up? she gasped inwardly, and hurried all the more. Artemis stumbled against the enormous door frame to the Great Hall, and simply stared. Jareth was waiting for her, and looking sick to his stomach, but so utterly devastating that it made her heart ache. Oh, why did I think that I could ever be special to someone so beautiful? thought Art with a sigh. But she had to greet him and, with swift silent steps, she approached and lay a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Hello,"

 

[Jareth Wardwin]

Jareth turned his head to see Artemis, her arm on his shoulder.
But he didn't recognize her, not at first.
"Sorry, I'm waiting for someone." he said, turning his head back.
But a moment later he looked round again.
"..Artemis?" He blinked a few times.
He knew she was beautiful but this was ridiculous.
A smile slowly drew to his face. "Who are you and what have you done with Artemis?"
He grinned at her, swiftly moving one of his arms to her waist and taking the other with his other hand.
"Ready?"

 

[Artemis Tuuri]

For the first time in front of anyone, Artemis gave Jareth what could only be called a 'radiant' smile. Her dress glittered softly in the light as though mirroring her eyes which were alight with pleasure at his compliment. "And you," she said without a trace of falsehood. "You look wonderful." But oh! His arm was around her waist! What a gentleman, thought Artemis with approval. After all, despite her occasionally unorthodox behaviour, Art was raised to be a true English lady. Jareth probably hadn't seen her so upright and well groomed before since he had met her.

Together they entered the Great Hall together with her other hand lightly in his. Even though Jareth was a few inches higher, and even though other girls skirts would brush her waist every now and then, Artemis felt tall.

There was the dance floor a few steps away where couples were swinging each other about in merry abandonment. Sometimes the song would change and they would move closer, and Artemis watched a few couples share a sweet kiss in the glittering lights. She was very aware of his arm around her all of a sudden, and moved around to face him in order to distract herself. "Oh, I'm sorry. I meant to give you this when I arrived." she said, and removed a small but beautifully wrapped gift from the tiny drawstring bag at her elbow. "Merry Christmas, Jareth." smiled Artemis at him and she placed it in his hand. "Open it later," she said softly with a grin.

 

[Jareth Wardwin]

Jareth was very surprised to find Artemis had given him a gift.
He did not look at the gift he was given and pocketed it, planning to open it later.
Right now, his attention was on Artemis and not the gift.

And so they began to dance.
Nobody else existed. Alright, so they were the shortest couple there but they felt the tallest.
As the ballroom music continued, Jareth found himself looking around to other couples;
One young couple seemed in an awkward situation, the boy leading the girl and counting his steps out loud.
Jareth made a mental note to keep his mouth firmly shut while dancing.

His eyes were back on Artemis once more.
She was shockingly beautiful and all he could think about was kissing her..
"Though we're strangers till now," Jareth said, in what he considered his most romantic voice, "We're choosing the path between the stars.."
He smiled.
"What I'm saying," Jareth found confidence in himself, "Is that although we hardly no each other.. I feel there's.. a connection.. and I really like you, Arty." His eyes met hers.
Everything else became background noise as if they were in a bubble.
The light surrounding was almost blinding, vision became a blur.. And yet Artemis was visible.
She was there in sharp detailed beauty with him.

 

[Artemis Tuuri]

Artemis felt that it was a very good thing that she knew how to dance at this moment. Her gift to him was important, but at that very moment it became irrelevant to them both as they swept onto the dance floor. Everything seemed perfect, and Artemis half expected to hear the whir of a camera back stage as though it were a movie, and that somehow the set would fall down upon them until there was nothing, nothing but the two of them.

Never once did she take her eyes from his, and it seemed like every enchanted light was shining in her hazel eyes. Jareth was speaking to her, and his voice ... it was tentative at first but then grew in confidence. Artemis had never consider herself to be a romantic, but there was something so intoxicating about his words that it made her want to swoon.

Perhaps it was all too good to be true. It wasn't as though she was unaware of her surroundings. But somehow, although they were dancing in long, perfectly timed sweeps through the empty space, every now and then she could feel the brush of a skirt or feel a fake snowflake slide down her cheek. The music slowed and time did too, and so Artemis lifted her hand from his to place both about his neck and they grew closer.

"Really? I like you, too." she smiled, and the air grew heavier in waiting. There wasn't much else she could say when they were so close like this ... was he wearing some sort of scent? She drew in a breath through her sensitive nose, feeling it tingle throughout her entire body. Whatever it was, it was maddeningly good. Unconsciously her hand fell to his chest, fingertips touching the ends of his hair.

 

[Jareth Wardwin]

Jareth felt Artemis' hands on the tips of his hair. Normally he would bat people away from his hair but not Artemis.
She was truly special.
His eyes could not be removed from hers and though they had only known each other a few months, Jareth felt like he was in love.

Jareth knew the sad truth as he considered asking her a question; She could do so much better than him.
She could be with a guy much more handsome and much less vain..
"Artemis," Jareth said, stopping still and looking seriously to her, "You don't have to.. I mean, it is your choice after all and I know you could do so much better but.. Will you.. can we court?"
It was an old-fashioned term but there was no other way he could put it.

 

[Artemis Tuuri]

Beneath her fingertips she felt the drumming of his heart. Her pixie ears twitched and she heard her own, and they seemed to be beating to the same rhythm of doubt and joy. Unconsciously they had stopped moving and were poised in the middle of the dance floor, her arms around his neck as the stopped swaying. Oh, he's speaking! sighed Artemis internally, but forced herself to concentrate in case she missed anything important.

She almost did.

Artemis wasn't a naturally romantic person, and so was very drawn to those who were. Courting! she thought as though she might swoon. Answer him, go on! "Oh yes..." said Artemis, trying to wipe the puppy-eyed look from her face. "I would love that." Without realising it, Art had lifted herself on tiptoes to meet his eyes properly. How extraordinary they were ... one blue, and one brown. With a jolt, she realised that their noses were touching. "Perhaps you should kiss me, then," she suggested softly. It was almost as though they were making it official. Jareth and Artemis were besotted with each other, and a kiss would bind them together as Jareth began to win her heart.

 

[Jareth Wardwin]

Jareth was incredibly close to Artemis.
Their faces so close he could feel her breath upon him.
"Perhaps I should." Jareth said, and without warning, he tiltes his head slightly to the side, his lips touching upon hers, his hands behind her ears almost lifting her off the ground.

Jareth now knew true magic. Not waving wands and casting spells, not creatures breathing fire, but this. A kiss with the girl he loved.

 

[Artemis Tuuri]

She loved how he didn't hesitate. She love, love, loved his hands in her hair, and that he hadn't notice the other couples stopping to 'aww'. Artemis loved the fact that he was kissing her, and she loved him. She loved him.

Their kiss seemed to last for eternity, in which time her cheeks heated to boiling point and her ears were tingling like mad. Artemis finally drew breath as they pulled away, only so far as to still have their arms around each other. Suddenly she was wobbly-legged and light-headed, and she drooped against him in a daze. Stars were shining above them and cast sparkling lights into each others eyes that made everything so much more surreal than it should have been.

"Would you like to get something to drink, Jareth?" said Art, saying his name as though he was a vision instead of a person. "You should open your present."

 

[Jareth Wardwin]

Jareth nodded. "Why not?" He smiled in reply to getting a drink.
He reached into his pocket and took out the present, looking at it.
"You really want me to?" He asked, looking into her eyes.
He felt so grown up. It had been his first kiss.
Jareth began to gently undo the present but he stopped and placed it back in his pocket.
"It can wait." he said, taking her hand and dancing once more.

 

[Artemis Tuuri]

Artemis smiled as Jareth removed the present from his pocket, but smiled even wider as he whirled her away to dance again. Their energy was prodigious and she felt as though she could dance forever. Somehow each moment they spent together made her heart beat faster, until she believe that it would soon leap out of her chest and scamper down the hall. Without realising it, eventually they were the only couple left on the dance floor, still spinning away though the music had slowed.

Eventually they stopped to sway in one spot, even their extended goblinesque energy exhausted. Art simply lay her head on his chest as they stopped swaying to enjoy these last moments of the most exciting and magical night of her life. Silently Artemis stood on tiptoe again to give him one, last, sweet ... kiss.

Some time later as she lay in the four poster bed that was entirely too large for her, she fell asleep immediately only to dream again of his face that haunted her all night long.

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End Scene.​

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