London (Dare/Michael)

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael looked around, smiling at the excitement. It was so different from the club in Hogsmeade. He loved the feel of Dare moving beside him and it didn't take much to pull his eyes from the crowd around them to focus on him. They moved deeper in and Michael turned to Dare. "Dance with me," he said, grinning. The excitement was contagious and Michael, who normally would have been more reserved about it, wanted to dance with Dare.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

At Michael's words, Dare's grin shifted, as did the gleam in his eyes. He'd been buoyed on sheer excitement at the club before, but now, seeing Michael so excited, seeing Michael excited to dance set a ring of smoky interest gusting around the pulsing in his blood. Hell yes, I'll dance with you. Dare only looked away from Michael long enough to spot the closest dance floor, then half-pulled him over, turning against him in the crowded space. No one seemed to notice when Dare brought his hands to Michael's hips and pulled him close. In fact, Dare inclined his head briefly toward another male couple he'd noticed very near to them. This was amazing.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael barely noticed any other male couples, or female couples for that matter, all his attention immediately focused on Dare as soon as he felt those familiar hands on his hips. The broad smile on his lips didn't leave as he moved his own hands to mimic Dare's and started to let himself move with the music. His blood was already rushing through his veins and his eyes sparkled in excitement when they met Dare's.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare didn't hold back this time. He had Michael in a place that only saw another couple on the dance floor. He had Michael, smiling at him like... like he was as happy as Dare right now. Dare danced close to Michael, letting the crowd move around them without pulling them apart. His eyes didn't leave Michael again for however many songs they danced, not until he felt a tap on the shoulder. Dare glanced over to see a man probably in his mid-twenties, rather polished-looking, with an unmistakable gleam in his eyes. "Mind if I cut in?" he asked, gesturing toward Michael with a nod of his head.

Dare blinked, completely thrown off-guard by the question. Cut in? He flicked a glance at Michael, as though to say, if you want to, but the look in his eyes said definitely that if, by some freak chance, Michael did want to, Dare wouldn't at all approve. Then he turned back to the guy. "Sorry, this song's taken," he said, pulling Michael closer. This man is taken. Now get out of here.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael had blinked at the intrusion, then his eyes had narrowed slightly and he had pulled closer to Dare, staring at the man. Then he was gone into the crowd and Michael turned his eyes back to Dare, biting back a comment about the number of partnerless dancers that the guy could have went after. "Wouldn't have danced with him anyway," Michael said, wrinkling his nose slightly and wrapping his hands a little farther around Dare. Even if he had been single.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare's lips curved into a hint of his crooked smile at that, letting himself be soothed by the words. He wrapped his arms further around Michael's waist in a silent declaration to anyone else who might be thinking of a useless attempt to lure Michael away, then stole another kiss, less annoyed at his lip ring right now simply due to the number of distractions already washing through the room. It was easy to get back into the music, to let his hands guide Michael's hips with his as they danced. Dare could just imagine the mood he was going to be in when they got back to the apartment.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael pulled his arms up to rest on Dare's, hands cupping Dare's shoulders as he returned the kiss. When he pulled away from it he couldn't help the smile that came back over his lips, and wasn't aware of the light color that had come to his cheeks at knowing that anyone could have looked over and seen them. Maybe it would be enough to keep anyone else from coming up to try to get him to dance.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare forgot about it even before the next song started. How could he think about a minor interruption like that when he couldn't stop smiling at Michael? Dare's fingers teased at the edge of Michael's shirt, not actually doing anything, even if by now he'd realized no one would notice. He just wanted that little bit of a thrill. That song was intense, Dare watching Michael and memorizing so he could draw it later, that unexpected flush in Michael's cheeks, the glow in his eyes and the shifting colors in his hair. Tonight was unforgettable.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael had all but forgotten about the incident when he felt a tap on his shoulder a couple songs later. He turned his head, only to see a thin, brown haired guy wearing tight, bright colors who flicked his eyes up at Dare as he asked, "Any chance I could steal him for a song or two?" Michael's eyes immediately narrowed slightly and he pressed himself lightly against Dare before he spoke.

"No, there isn't," he said, then stared at the guy as he moved one arm farther up Dare's to wrap his hand lightly against the back of Dare's neck. He met the guy's liquid brown eyes and almost dared him to do something, to ask again. But the guy didn't and Michael's nerves relaxed.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare arched his brow at the guy, but didn't bother to speak; Michael had said it all. Dare's arms slid up Michael's back to hold him, something between possession and clinging in his grasp. It still hadn't occurred to Dare that only guys had asked to dance with them. He turned his gaze back to Michael when the guy had disappeared into the crowd and brought his lips up to the ear covered with shimmering red hair. "Mine," he stated firmly. His lips curved, and he nuzzled into Michael's hair, loving the feel of Michael's hand so firm against the back of his neck. A couple interruptions were nothing.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael relaxed when the guy left, and smiled when Dare nuzzled against him. It was so perfect, even with the interruptions. Away from the incident, though, Michael couldn't help but feel a little proud that he had Dare, someone that someone else had wanted to dance with. He paused in the dance, holding himself still just to enjoy Dare's arms around him for a few moments.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare stopped too, and brought his face around to Michael's, looking down at him, then bringing their lips together. He didn't care if they were in public. People hardly saw them, and one real kiss wasn't going to shatter everything and send them back to Hogwarts. He doubted anyone would notice in this crowd, but if they did, they could take it for what it was. He loved Michael, wanted him, and the rest of the world just watch or move on.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

There was the shortest moment's panic with the kiss, but it was soon pushed away as Michael remembered where they were. It was great being somewhere that they were just another couple, where no one cared that two guys were holding hands, dancing, or even kissing. It still hadn't occurred to Michael that none of the dancing couples were traditional ones, he had been much too focused on Dare. And then, with the distraction of the kiss, he wasn't going to realize it any time soon.

[Dare Blackwood-Hardt]

Dare let himself give Michael that proper kiss he'd been looking forward to since just after he'd gotten his lip pierced. No one said a word, so he took his time loving Michael with lips and tongue until the music changed. He heard it through the rush of unintelligible noise he'd been unaware of moments before and lifted his head, blinking as he looked into the room, which was entirely as they'd left it. Then he looked back at Michael, his lips curving into a wide grin. "I love you," he said, still-hazy eyes sparkling.

[Michael Blackwood-Hardt]

Michael's tongue spread slowly over his lips and he smiled, "I love you, too." He had never thought that it would be so easy to be out in public with Dare, but it seemed like Hogwarts had a skewed idea of what was acceptable. Or maybe the muggles were just more accepting. Michael let his eyes wander absently over the crowd as he thought. Something was very different about the club, and not the obvious things like live music and the lights. His eyes widened slightly as he realized that all of the couples were same-sex. "Dare, look around," he said softly, tilting his head.