SECOND CHANCES

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or anything associated with Harry Potter. This is not for profit, just for fun. The plot line is mine but of course merely a humble subplot to JK Rowling's wonderful work.

By all logic, Sasha should have been having a marvelous time at the Yule Ball. She was in her forth year and lucky enough to be on the arm of Igor Karkaroff a visiting student. Igor was tall, good-looking, popular with the girls and for some reason, really into her. He however was not her first choice. Severus Snape would always be her first choice. Since the night they were sorted she'd had a very painful crush on her lanky classmate. She accepted the date with Igor only after she found out that Severus was taking her friend Lily Evans to the ball. He barely noticed Sasha. It was always Lily this and Lily that.

When Lily accepted his invitation, he was ecstatic. Sadly his joy was short lived and she dumped him a week before the ball. Tonight Lily was here with James Potter having the time of her life. Sasha looked for him but Severus was nowhere to be seen. Her mind wasn't on the dance, much less the dashing Mr. Karkaroff. All she could think of was Severus. He obviously loved Lily. Sasha could see it. He must be crushed. Better that he wasn't here to see them together.

Igor and his cronies sneaked several shots of some vile liquor before the dancing started. When he pulled Sasha onto the dance floor he was quite intoxicated and all hands and lips. When Sasha accepted his invitation, she vowed to focus on him for the evening and try to forget Severus. Igor was after all charismatic, fun and a bit of a rebel like Sasha. She also loved his Russian accent. It made him seem exotic. But at the moment, she just wanted to get the hell away from him. He kept touching her where he shouldn't and pulling her body too close against his own. When they were standing with some of his classmates, she deftly planted the seeds of an argument about quidditch and sneaked away from him once he got involved in the debate. .

She escaped via the little known back staircase that led to the balcony off the great hall. From the proper angle there she could look down on the ball and get a break from Igor. When she reached the balcony she saw a tall dark figure that apparently had the same idea. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't know there was anyone here. Sev is that you?" It was Severus, and he looked beautiful. She heard him sniff and saw him rub one eye. "Leave me alone Sasha." He said with a crack in his voice.

Severus Snape was a very proud young man and not fond of expressing his emotions. If she acknowledged what she was seeing, he would certainly shut her out so she tried to sound nonchalant. "Oh relax Sev." She shrugged and turned away from him. "I'll leave you alone soon enough. I just need 15 minutes away from Igor."

"Hmmm. He appears to be all hands tonight." Severus observed, relieved for the subject to be something other than what he was doing there.

'Yes! Did you see him? It's absurd. How long have you been up here anyway?"

"All night."

She didn't ask why. She knew why. "You know I've always dreamed of this Ball. I thought we would do that beautiful opening dance and I would be here with someone I loved." She watched Igor, who was drunk enough that his gestures were more flamboyant than usual. "We didn't even make it to the first dance. All that practice for nothing."

"You missed the first dance?"

"Igor was still drinking cognac in the hall with his buddies." She shrugged. "Isn't that charming? What a guy."

"And he wasn't your first choice?"

"No. Please." She replied dismissively.

"Who was your first choice?"

She met his eyes and scanned them for something. She wasn't sure what. He knew nothing. Her smile was smug as she answered him. "I don't think I'm going to tell you that."

"No?"

"No way." She shook her head furiously and giggled.

"Sirus?" he questioned her.

"Oh yeah right. That's really gross."

"James?"

"No way." She grimaced while shaking her head. "I'm not telling. You would laugh at me."

"I wouldn't do that Sasha. Things like that aren't funny." He stared back down at the crowd.

"That's nice to say, but I'm still not telling. He's so far out of my league it's ridiculous."

"Out of Sasha Malfoy's league? He must be a force to be reckoned with."

"He is." She smiled. It was sweet how clueless he was. A rare moment for him as he always seemed to have all the answers.

The formal band started the last waltz before the rock band was to take the stage. He held out his hand and said, "I'm afraid I'm a poor substitute for this force of a man you have hopes for, but may I have this dance?"

She smiled politely at him and tried to look like this was really no big deal. But it was. To her, it was a very big deal. "You may." She took his hand and he gracefully led her to an open section of the balcony and began an elegant waltz. Obviously he had been practicing to impress Lily. When the dance ended he was holding her closely, too close for two people who were supposed to be just friends. So close that she knew he was imagining that she was Lily and she blushed when she looked in his eyes. He took two steps back looking stricken with some unknown pain.

"Thank you Severus. That was lovely." He nodded, turned and left. She found the nearest chair under a dust cover and sat down feeling hopeless. When she was sure he was a safe distance away, the tears began streaming down her cheeks. Normally she was not a girl who cried but tonight was so miserable, she had to let some emotion out. After a few moments she looked down at the crowd and saw Igor looking for her. She took several deep breaths and used the inside hem of her skirt to wipe her eyes. Then she composed herself and dutifully returned to her date.