Kingsley couldn’t believe his eyes. Holding Hermione in his arms, he stared at a ghost. It was real. She was standing there. Her long hair still sparkled in an unnatural way. Her looks had changed very little since she was seventeen. She still looked youthful and beautiful. Dressed in a green gown, he was reminded of their first night together.
Hermione pulled away from him and glanced at the door. She smiled. “Well, go talk to her.”
Kingsley froze. Could he do that? What if she only came out of anger? What if she came to tell him to leave her alone? Bella was dead. He hadn’t stopped it. He had no idea how she felt about him.
“Go,” Hermione encouraged him.
He still stood frozen, but it didn’t matter. Elysia had spotted him. A smile spread across her face. A familiar smile. The one he had seen so many times. There was no anger or resentment behind that smile. She was legitimately glad to see him.
However, she didn’t rush into his arms like she used to. Too much time had passed for that. Instead, she approached him slowly, offering her hand.
“Kingsley,” she said, as he accepted her hand.
“You came,” he choked, still staring like a fool.
“I had little choice,” she replied. “I was running out of room in my house for all the roses.”
“I wanted to get your attention.”
“Well done.”
Hermione smiled and began to back away. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
“Shall we dance?” Elysia asked. “I really didn’t come all this way for you to stare at me. If that’s all you wanted, I could’ve sent you a picture.”
“I’ve missed you. I can’t believe you’re really here.”
“I’ve missed you, too,” she replied. “Now dance with me.”
Kingsley laughed, wrapping his arms around her. Her body fit perfectly with his as if they were meant to go together. They moved around the room with grace like one person. They were in sync in every way. It felt perfect. Just like old times.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered in her ear.
She laughed. Never a more beautiful sound had been heard.
“After all this time, you apologize,” she said. “I was the one who left.”
“I provoked you. What I did was wrong. I knew what Bella meant to you.”
“Shhh.” Elysia put her finger to his lips. “Not now. We’ll talk about that later. I just want to enjoy this moment. You have no idea what it’s like to be in your arms again. God, how I’ve missed this feeling.”
Kingsley shut-up. There was no reason to argue with her. He was getting exactly what he wanted. She didn’t want to discuss the past. That was fine with him. As long as she was in his arms, all was right in his world.
As they danced around the room, he stared down at her, seeing only her. Harry and Ron were pointing at them, but he was utterly oblivious. He saw nothing but Elysia’s perfect image dancing in the candlelight. After all this time, she was finally back where she belonged. What more could he ask for? Even if it was only for this one night, it was more than he ever expected.
The song ended and another began, but neither of them noticed. They remained in each others arms. There was nothing outside their little bubble. In that moment, it was like no time had passed since their first kiss. Everything was blissfully perfect once again.
Kingsley wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he felt a tapping on his back. As much as hated to, he released Elysia from his grip, and turned to see who was interrupting them.
Harry and Ron stood beside him, smiling broadly. He wanted to strangle them. He honestly did. Couldn’t they tell this was the most important time in his life? Why did they feel the need to disturb him when he finally had Elysia by his side?
“Sorry, mate,” Ron said. “We just thought you might be getting tired. You’ve been out here for two hours.”
“Really?” Kingsley asked, totally unaware that so much time had passed.
“We thought you might need a rest,” Harry cut in. “And we thought we might like to meet your date.”
“Elysia, this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley,” he told her. “No doubt you’ve heard of them. Mates, this is Elysia. Now, go away.”
Elysia laughed, putting her hand on Kingsley’s arm. “Don’t be so mean,” she scolded him. “I want to meet your friends.”
Kingsley did want Elysia to himself, but there was another reason he wanted to distance Elysia from Harry and Ron. If she made the connection between Ron and Molly, he had no idea how she would react. Molly killed Bella, and he knew Elysia could never forgive that, regardless of the circumstances.
“I don’t think Kingsley feels like sharing tonight,” Harry told her. “Perhaps another time. Are you planning to stay in town?”
She looked at Kingsley for a second, and then replied, “I hope to be staying for awhile.”
“Excellent,” Harry nodded. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Elysia. I hope you have a wonderful evening, and we’ll be sure to meet up before you leave.”
“I’d like that,” she told him, shaking his hand. Then she shook Ron’s hand and the two annoying Aurors disappeared into the crowd.
“The famous Harry Potter is very polite,” she told him, snuggling close to him, again. “I expected a brat.”
“He can be that, too,” Kingsley replied with a chuckle. “You told him you were planning on staying. Do you know for how long?”
She smiled widely. “I think we’ll just have to wait and see.”
“Tease.”
She smirked.
“Would you like to dance some more?” he asked.
“I think I’d rather go back to your place, if you don’t mind,” she replied, pulling away from him and standing up straight. “It’s late and we really should talk. There’s a lot to discuss.”
“Yes.” He nodded. “A lot to discuss.”
He took her hand, and together they Apparated to his loft.