It was Christmas Eve and the house of the Drosselmeyer house was filling up with people there for the annual Christmas party that was thrown in the elite neighborhood.

Elizabeth Drosselmeyer stepped in the door and smiled back at the young man behind her "Think you can find her?"

He nodded and pointed to the other side of the room "She's right there."

Ellizabeth chuckled "You've got a good eye, Eric. You going to go talk to her?"

Eric shook his head "Not yet."

"Have fun." the lady scurried away to go talk to some of the other ladies.

Eric stepped back into a dark corner to observe the girl in question:

Clara Drosselmeyer.

Her blue eyes sparkled with amusement as she talked among the guest, the candle light reflecting off of her shiny blond hair. It took no guessing to figure out that she was the bell of the party.

He watched as boys and girls alike went over and talked to her. The boys lingering a bit longer than necessary.

But one in particular kept going back to the girl, and every time he said something, Clara would laugh.

"Is there something between them?" Eric wondered.

A small orchestra off to the side began to play slow Christmas Carols.

Several couples moved to the other side of the room, which was cleared out, and started dancing.

Several young men asked Clara to dance, but she polity refused.

She glanced around the room and sighed. It had been nearly six months since she'd last seen Eric. She had hoped he be able to make it to the Christmas party, but he was probably still busy trying to clean up the mess the Mouse King had left behind.

The one young man who had been hanging around her, Howard, gave a deep bow "May I?"

"No thank you." Clara smiled.

"Don't tell me you still haven't learned to dance." Howard said with a grin.

Clara didn't respond. True, no one knew she had learned, in Parthenia. But she only wanted to dance with Eric. No one else.

"I can teach you." Howard whispered.

"No thank you." The girl repeated.

A couple of songs later, Howard got everyone's attention "We've seen everyone here dance, except for Dear Mr. Drosselmeyer's own granddaughter!"

Clara's face flushed with aggravation.

"Who would like to see Clara dance?"

Everyone began to clap, someone whistled.

Howard held his hand out to her "Pick a partner, My Lady."

Clara looked around the room, trying to find someone else to dance with. Mainly because she didn't want to give Howard the satisfaction of winning.

Her gaze landed on a familiar form standing in the far back corner. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to see his face in the dark.

"Clara?" Howard whispered "Won't you dance with me?"

But she didn't hear. Suddenly her eyes widened and started to run across the room "Eric!"

The young man stepped from the shadows, grinning brightly.

As soon as she reached him, her arms flew around his neck "I thought you couldn't come! Please tell me you haven't been standing back there this whole time!"

Eric smiled sheepishly "Alright... I won't tell you."

"Clara." Elizabeth called mischievously "We're still waiting for you to pick a partner."

Eric bowed "May I have the honor?"

"It would be my pleasure." Clara said, dropping into a deep curtsy.

Elizabeth scurried over to the musicians and whispered to them. With a nod, they began playing the music that Clara and Eric had danced to in Parthenia.

Everyone watched in awed amazement as the couple began dancing... especially Grandfather Drosselmeyer.

"So," Eric whispered he slowly walked around in a circle, turning Clara with him "What's between you and Howard?"

Clara's eyebrows lowered "What?" she whispered as she spun once by herself.

Then, her and Eric were too far apart to speak. A moment later, Eric took her left hand and her right hand went to his shoulder "What do you mean?"

"You seem really close." Eric answered, as she spun around a few times.

Clara fell back into the dip of the dance "What makes you say that?"

"I don't know." Eric said, and the next instant he was dancing away from her.

Clara waited for her turn to dance to some around again, and finally they were dancing together again

"You don't think I like him, do you?" Clara whispered as Eric gently lifted her up and sat her back down a few times.

"Well..." that was all Eric was able to get out before the dance demanded they split again. But they came back together a second later "He makes you laugh." he said as Clara spun in his arms.

"How does that mean anything?" Clara asked, slightly leaning back into him.

But once again, they were pulled apart by the dance.

Clara ran towards Eric and leapt into the air, He caught her and slowly turned in a circle "I don't know." he said as he sat her back on the floor. He took a few steps away, and Clara once again ran to him.

This time she was lifted to his shoulder, her hands above her head "Eric, I love you. Not Howard."

Her left foot came back in contact with the floor.

"Are you sure?" Eric asked.

"Of course." Clara answered as she placed her hand in his "Don't you remember? You already asked me to marry you and everything! You're not changing your mind, are you?"

Eric backed away from her as she began to spin. Then he took her hand and she spun under his arm a few times "Not a chance. I just wanted to make sure you weren't."

Clara chuckled "You already kissed me."

Eric's face turned a slight shade of red "But..."

"Eric." Clara interrupted as he walked her in a slow circle "You don't have to worry about anyone. I'm yours. Forever." she danced away from him.

Eric rejoined her "You sure?"

Clara spun "Of course. Are you?"

They took a step away from each other, then came back together "Never have been more sure."

Everyone began to cheer wildly.

"I thought you couldn't dance!" Howard gasped.

"I never said I couldn't." Clara said "I just didn't have the right partner."

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Elizabeth called "May I present Prince Eric!"

There was a round of gasps, mainly from the girls.

"I thought you looked familiar." Grandfather Drosselmeyer huffed "I was hoping you wouldn't come back."

Eric smiled "I couldn't stay away." he took Clara's hand.

Drosselmeyer's eyebrows lowered "Are you requesting...?"

Eric looked around at all the people. He hadn't wanted to do it this way, but... "Yes. I would like to ask your permission to marry Clara."

The Grandfather stared at the young man for a long moment "I..."

"Wait!" Howard spoke up "Mr. Drosselmeyer! I would like to ask your permission to marry Clara. You've known me my entire life!"

Drosselmeyer nodded "That is true, Howard."

Clara's eyebrows lowered "But Eric has one thing going for him that Howard doesn't."

"And what is that?" Her grandfather asked.

Clara stepped closer to the prince "I love Eric."

Everything became silent as Drosselmeyer looked back and forth between the two young men. Then a smile crossed his face "Clara. You're just like your mother." he nodded slowly "Eric. You may marry my granddaughter."

Eric sighed with relief "Thank you, Sir."

Drosselmeyer gripped the young man's hand "Just take care of her."
"I will."

Clara walked over to her grandfather and hugged him "Thank you."

He sniffed slightly "I always knew you'd grow up to do great things."

Clara chuckled "Are you crying?"

"Absolutely not!" Drosselmeyer exclaimed, wiping at his eyes "It's just..."

"Liquid pride." Clara finished "I got it."

Her grandfather smiled "Alright everyone! Back to the party!" then he hurried away.

Eric spun Clara back into his arms "May I?"

Clara laughed softly "I would love too."

(A guest requested this one, so here it is! Hope you enjoyed!)