With Dolly’s blessing and a glass of wine later, Maiko knew she was going to complete her quest. The quest to dance with Ignan Storm. It didn’t take long to find him, as he was chatting with some other folks. Their body language didn't indicate that the conversation was grave or important, so now was the perfect time. Mai approached the older gentleman with raw confidence. “Do my eyes deceive me, or are you dateless?”  She shook her head in mock disapproval.The counselor had very nearly been dateless herself—partially because she had been a bit apathetic towards finding someone to go with, and partially because she intended on snagging all the dateless people and claiming whoever she was with as the moment as her ‘date’ if the Headmistress asked.

“I am going to steal 'im for a dance or two.” She told the people Ignan had been chatting with. It wasn't a question. Before they could give an answer, Maiko grabbed him by the hand and all but dragged him to the dance floor. Part one was complete. Now they actually had to start moving. After they were done, she was definitely going to brag to Dolly, Aileen, Tapendra (and whoever would listen, really) about what a wonderful dancer he was, even if he danced with two left feet.

“Now, would you like to lead, or shall I?” Mai asked facetiously. She didn't honestly expect him to choose the former option, and part of her thought that he wouldn't comply. But maybe, just maybe he knew that he would be crushing her hopes and dreams if he refused.

“Now, would you like to lead, or shall I?”

"Well when you put it like that, how can I deny you?" Ignan chuckled despite himself. He'd not had much of a chance to complain about being swept away by the witch who read the troubles of the students on a daily basis. Ignan had an uneasy feeling in Maiko's presence generally - not because she was a bad person, but because he felt uneasy about being read. Tonight she seemed determined to have him dance - taking Minerva for a spin earlier had somewhat advertised his ability.

"You're looking splendid tonight," The Deputy Headmaster managed to compliment the younger witch as they began to dance to the music, "Must be good to see the student in more jolly moods than they usually traipse to your door in." There was an edge of sarcasm to his question. To have all the student body moan at you must be incredibly tiresome. Ignan actively avoided being at the receiving end of such behaviour.

"I didn't realise you were so keen to dance with me, otherwise perhaps I should have asked you to the ball formally. With Minerva insisting on us seeking outside, my choices were somewhat limited, and those suggested by those in my life were perhaps not suitable for a man of my age to be seen with, without crude accusations."

She was pleasantly surprised that he was complying-- though she should’ve known that he couldn’t say no to a pretty face. Although she had seen Storm around, she hadn’t interacted with him much. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but she felt the urge to get to know him-- that didn’t necessarily mean she wanted to psychoanalyze him. His name, she recalled, had been one of the many she wrote on wedding invitations years ago-- he had been an old friend of her ex-fiance’s family, though she didn’t think he’d remember what she viewed as such a distant, miniscule connection.

“You’re looking quite handsome yourself!” She responded. Like many people, she enjoyed genuine compliments. She nodded in agreement, it was nice to see students in a happy mood.. Maiko thought they almost looked like completely different people while enjoying this fun occasion, and it wasn’t just because they were dressed in fancy clothes. “Now, why wouldn’t I be keen on dancing with a stud like you?” Mai replied dryly, but then added, “Oh, you should’ve asked! We could always wait for the next dance.”

She lowered her voice, “You know, I don’t think your choices were all that limited. I mean, I don’t think I could’ve convinced Aileen to go with me, but I convinced Dolly. ” Maiko looked around, “And the famous Rascal Rosier is ‘ere with Ananke. You don’t really know who your options are unless you ask. The worst anyone can do is say no.” She paused, “Unless they really ‘ated you, then I suppose they could scream profanities and hex you." That wasn't much of a comfort, was it?

“Now, why wouldn’t I be keen on dancing with a stud like you?”

Ignan gave her a look of incredulity and surprise. She must be inebriated!

“You know, I don’t think your choices were all that limited. I mean, I don’t think I could’ve convinced Aileen to go with me, but I convinced Dolly. And the famous Rascal Rosier is ‘ere with Ananke. You don’t really know who your options are unless you ask. The worst anyone can do is say no. Unless they really ‘ated you, then I suppose they could scream profanities and hex you."

"You couldn't have convinced Aileen?" Ignan asked, following what she had just said, but a beat behind in mind, but not feet. "But convinced Dolly St James - I'm not sure I could have, or wanted to convince… I don't know… Declan O'Moraine even if I'd wanted to. Forgive my ignorance, but isn't it perceived that one's date should be of the opposite gender?" As he asked it was a perfect moment in the music to part, turn and come back together. Thank Merlin it wasn't one of the more energetic dances.

"It might seem surprising, but I know precious few outside of these walls well enough to ask." He confessed, "And my time of courting young ladies for dancing are long past."

“You see, Aileen doesn’t take being flirted with very well.” Maiko admitted, “I may or may not ‘ave tried.” She lowered her voice again, “I don’t think Aileen fancies women.” She allowed him to twirl around and smiled—he was surprisingly light on his feet. She wondered how much practice he had when it came to dancing. It was nice to have a dance partner who didn’t step on her feet in order to convince her to stop dancing with them. Granted, that sort of behavior came from her brother, who thought that she was embarrassing in general.

Mai couldn’t help but smile—she had a tendency to forget that there were people out there who weren’t comfortable with everything that she was comfortable with. “You don’t need to bring M. O’Morain as a date.” She replied, “But yes, opposite-gender dates are more socially acceptable than ones of the same gender. It doesn't mean it won’t ‘appen, though.” Her own date was a female! She and Dolly had some history, though now they were simply good friends. Maiko didn’t feel the need to elaborate on that subject.

“Get out and meet more ladies! I could be your wingman.” Maiko winked, though she doubted that Storm would ever take her up on that offer. “Unless, you don’t want to. That’s perfectly fine as well.”

“I don’t think Aileen fancies women."

That was a relief, Aileen Reid was perplexing enough without that also going for her too.

“You don’t need to bring M. O’Morain as a date. But yes, opposite-gender dates are more socially acceptable than ones of the same gender. It doesn't mean it won’t ‘appen, though.”

"I see," Ignan replied, "Clearly I am behind the times on these matters!" He gave a puzzled, but unthreatened look by the new information.

“Get out and meet more ladies! I could be your wingman. Unless, you don’t want to. That’s perfectly fine as well.”

"Perhaps," Ignan replied, managing a faint smile, "Though doesn't a wingman insinuate meeting ladies for romantic reasons? In the politest possible way," The Deputy Headmaster's brow furrowed, "Not only am I a little old for all that now, I am already spoken for in uncertain terms."

Not that he was going to explain the fact Tapendra's mother, Azorma, his lover from the nineties had proposed to him and he'd accepted while she was bound in the Ministry, awaiting trial. The woman who he'd committed crimes with, and the woman who now was incarcerated in Azkaban. The brilliant, incredible woman who would one day break out, if she kept her word... oh Merlin...

He'd missed a beat in the music and cringed,
"I'm sorry, a momentary distraction," Ignan hastily explained to Maiko, catching their balance again. "Just as I was admiring how well suited we were as a dancing pair, alas."

Back on their way, he momentarily returned to the thread before,
"You'll have to tell me more about those social conventions some day, Maiko, so I may remain in my grumpy mindset of decades past while being informed of today's acceptances."

“Even I am behind the times occasionally!” Mai shrugged. People, ideas, and acceptances could change so quickly that it was easy to miss if you didn’t stay in the loop. Her eyes lit up and she was about to ask for all the details about Ignan’s mystery woman!

But alas, he missed the beat, and she stumbled. Any ideas of pesting Ignan about his love life had stumbled with her. Luckily, they were able to move on as if no mistake had been made. “Even the best dancing partners still slip up. The good ones can keep dancing.” She had seen so many people mess up a dance once or twice, and then continue to make blunders due to being nervous. Good dancers didn’t usually do that-- some of them could even make it look like the mistake was intentional.

She moved her hand from his shoulder to pat the side of his face in a motherly manner-- Maiko was a naturally affectionate person. Although there was a flirtatious side to her, she wasn’t expressing it to Ignan. Granted, those who didn’t know her well might not be able to know the difference. “I would be glad to discuss it with you. I admire people who keep their beliefs and perceptions flexible for new facts and ideas.” She put her hand back on his shoulder and contemplated getting Ignan to spin in a circle and catch him in her arms. Mai decided against it-- for one, she was too short for it to end smoothly. Secondly, she didn’t want to drop him and break his femur or hip or something.

“There are plenty of people who do not accept traditional couples, even now. It’s a bit bizarre-- but some people are too stubborn, willful, and prideful to change their minds.” Unlike him, obviously. What a sweet old man! “Do you like crepes? I’d love to make you lunch sometime.”

He didn't have time to avoid her patting his cheek affectionately. Well, that was a little odd - the last time something like that had happened it wasn't on purpose like that. He was sure many mothers to the students wanted to do that to him - but rather forcefully.

She was having a good time! Perhaps he hadn't lost touch with how to treat ladies after all, and with good luck, nobody had seen her pat his face either. There'd be a rumour of something going on otherwise, and if he was particularly unlucky a caricature from Zeta Pepper of Hufflepuff.

“There are plenty of people who do not accept traditional couples, even now. It’s a bit bizarre-- but some people are too stubborn, willful, and prideful to change their minds.”
"I know some of those people. Worse, related to them." Wolfgang was somewhere amongst the throng with his opinions.
“Do you like crepes? I’d love to make you lunch sometime.”

"Do I like what? Sorry?!" Ignan replied in confusion, but as they moved and the music changed key for the final verse, his mind pieced together her words and accent.
"Crepes?" He asked over the music, "I can't say I've had too many of them, why, are they your speciality?"

He guided them as carefully as possible between moving bodies, fancier steps appearing in their fellow dancers as the climax of the dance came.
"I'd be honoured to come for lunch, if that's what you meant?" He lifted his hand from her waist, allowing her to break free a moment to add her own flare and grace to the motion while maintaining a gentle hold on her hand.

“I know some of those people. Worse, related to them.”

“Don’t we all.” She said dryly, “I can’t say I’m related to too many. The ones that I know who used to think that way, ‘ave grown.” Even her old, crotchety grandmère wasn’t that way anymore!  To her, those sorts were the most difficult to relate to if they didn’t allow themselves to examine their perceptions and beliefs.

“Crepes.” She corrected his pronunciation gently, even if it didn't even need to be corrected! “It’s not a specialty, but it’s easy and I could put anything edible in them.” Maiko felt the need to clarify that the ingredients needed to be edible. Partially because she didn’t want him to have images of her grating pieces of paper and chopping up fried bits of cotton in her crepes! That’d be ludicrous!

“So. Lunch. It will be after the Holidays, yes? Yes. Good.” As the song ended, Maiko gave Ignan a giant, affectionate, full body hug. “Thank you~ thank you for the dance. We will do it again sometime.” She said it, as if the poor guy didn’t even have a choice.  “But now, I must go see my date. I don’t want Dolly to feel neglected, even if it meant I got to dance with such a stud again.” She teased him, squeezing his shoulder gently. Before she went in search of Dolly, she turned and waved goodbye to the professor rather enthusiastically.

[end scene]