They are in an empty classroom reserved for her practice sessions. Even if he has seen her dance many times before, he still could not help but admire how stunning and graceful she is as a ballerina. Her movements are always precise but fluid. She is like a sophisticated but very addictive potion.
As the music nears its end, she turns her body towards Draco. She finishes with a perfect arabesque, sending a smile to her only audience as she bows down.
"Excellent as expected." Draco walks towards her, handing over an Egyptian cotton towel.
"Thanks." Astoria gently wipes her sweat. "I know you would say that being my number one fan."
"Yes, I am your number one fan," Draco replies while grinning, his hands in his pockets. "But yet, it is not enough for you to accept my proposal."
Astoria instinctively stiffens at his words. "Draco...You know why...I love you but I can't...Not yet. Not right now."
"There won't be another chance for us, Astoria." Draco laces his hand with hers.
"In the future we can plan-" Astoria continues but Draco cuts her off, "It is now or never."
Draco caresses her face with his other hand. "But you don't have to be pressured anymore. I completely understand. This is the last time we will be talking about it."
Astoria lightened up and kissed him on the lips. Draco returns the kiss, gently moving his lips to her forehead. He stared at her for a long time before saying, "This is us letting fate have its way."
He pulls away from her and walk backwards to the door.
"I will leave you now to your first love." Draco gestures towards the rest of the room with the bars and giant mirror for ballet.
"It is time for me to face my duties." He bowed with a sad smile on his face that went unnoticed by Astoria. She laughs, knowing how Draco dislikes patrolling the grounds.
Walking along the corridor outside the classroom, a flash of red caught his eye. The words of Weasel's little sister came to his mind, 'Unrequited love'. But does it have to hurt like this?
--------
"Babe! There you are! Let me carry this for you." Dean playfully grabbed her bag and books from her.
"I am fine. You don't have to do this, Dean," Ginny sighed.
He just grinned at her, "I don't mind the boyfriend duties."
He then slings his right arm around Ginny's shoulder, pulling her to a dark corner.
Brows furrowed, she turns to face her boyfriend who interrupted her with a kiss.
"Quality time, Babe." Dean is leaning in for another kiss, hoping to start a heated make-out session when Ginny pushes him away.
"What the-" Ginny hastily grabbed her things from his grasp.
"I don't want this, Dean," she says, looking straight into his confused eyes. "I am tired."
"I know you are not much into public displays of affection... but we are alone here now. Okay. We can continue this somewhere else." Dean reaches for her free hand but Ginny steps backward to avoid his touch.
"I don't want to be your girlfriend anymore," she continues. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before dropping her next words.
"Let us stop this already." Ginny glanced at his stunned face. "I am sorry."
She then turned her gaze away from his disappointed eyes. There standing tall and proud behind her now ex-boyfriend is Draco Malfoy.
'Shit,' Ginny mutters to herself as she escapes the crime scene. She quickens her pace, trying her best not to run.
"For Merlin's sake! Why does he have to be there!" Ginny groaned, shaking her head.
"I dumped Dean Thomas in front of Draco Malfoy." She is recalling what has transpired when she randomly uttered her break-up speech. "How heartless could I be!"
"Good timing as always, Ginevra." Ginny said sarcastically to herself. She does not understand why she recently finds herself in embarassing situations one after another whenever that pompous git is nearby.
'I will be the talk of the Great Hall tomorrow for sure,' she thought. She could imagine the headline already, 'Ginny Weasley, so disgusted by her Gryffindor boyfriend's affection, breaks up in front of a Slytherin prefect!'
She grudgingly climbs the stairs to the portrait hole while berating herself for her impulsivity.
"Shit. Fucking shit! Shit. Shit!" She cursed as she stomps her feet on the last step.
"Mind your language, young lady!" The Fat Lady chastised her. She mumbled the password right away. She does not want to receive any unsolicited scolding from a painting.
"Ginny! There you are!" Hermione calls out from the couch near the fireplace. Ron and Harry are beside her playing chess.
"Where have you been?" Ron questioned as he looks up from the chessboard. Harry is staring at her.
"Ginny...what happened?" Hermione stands up abandoning the textbook she was holding.
Then the first tear fell followed by another. Great, she is crying in front of her brother and friends who happen to be the classmates of her ex-boyfriend. She could not take it anymore. She flees to her room, her bushy-haired friend calling after her.
Before she closed her door, she heard Ron yelling, "Dean Thomas! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SISTER!"
She cried herself to sleep. She did not even bother to take off her uniform. When she woke up, Hermione is seated at the end of her bed peering at her.
"What time is it?" Ginny asked as she push herself up.
"Enough time for you to freshen up," Hermione replies. No one else is in the room beside the two of them. Her roommates must have gone down already to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione gently inquired.
"Awful." Ginny walks over to the ensuite bathroom. She stands in front of the mirror as she grabs her toothbrush.
"Dean said that you broke up with him last night." Her friend's report has begun.
"After he helped you with your things and requested a kiss." Ginny could not help but groan at Dean's point of view. Of course what she pulled off yesterday is open for misinterpretation.
"It is not just because of that." Ginny has finished brushing her teeth. She leaves the bathroom and walks to her cabinet to pull out a fresh uniform. She turns to face her friend who for sure is currently deciphering her love life like a riddle.
"I just felt..." She glances at Hermione who is intently staring at her. "Nothing."
Hermione prodded, "You can tell me, Ginny. Go on."
Ginny sighed deeply, "That's it, Hermione. I broke up with him because I feel nothing."
Hermione repeatedly blinks her eyes before responding, "What do you mean, Ginny?"
"When he was being sweet to me last night, I just realized that I don't feel anything. Like I am not interested in him anymore.The attraction is missing."
"He turned you off?" Hermione asked, confusion still plastered on her face.
"Or he has not turned me on at all." Ginny buried her face on her hands as she plops down on the bed beside Hermione.
"I cannot pinpoint when it exactly started but I have been viewing him in a platonic way in the past weeks. And last night was when it became clear as crystal." Ginny concluded.
"At least you ended it before you further led him on." Hermione pats her back.
"Dean's demise cheered up your brother though." Hermione shook her head. "Ron was grinning like a fool earlier as he and the other boys came down from their room."
"Ronald being his insensitive self as usual." Ginny started changing her clothes.
"He almost praised Malfoy when Dean mentioned that he took points from Gryffindor for initiating a make-out session in the hallway."
With Hermione's last statement, Ginny Weasley tripped over her skirt that was half way over her ankles.
--------
"Good morning!" Blaise said, too merrily as he reached for toast from the bread basket.
The usual oblivious Crabbe and Goyle, who are seated across Draco, notice it too and throw curious glances at his best friend. Blaise is now comfortably seated beside him.
"You are like a fool." Draco scowled. Blaise just chuckled.
"Why so happy, Blaise?" Pansy inquired. Astoria and Daphne paused their conversation to tune in as well.
"I heard from the grapevine that Ginny Weasley and Dean Thomas broke up." Everyone in the Slytherin table turned their attention to him. The boys look surprised but relieved. While the girls started murmuring with each other.
So the bomb has been dropped. Draco just did not expect that it would come from the Gryffindor side, not that he would waste his breath spreading what he witnessed last night.
Draco peered at the table on the other side of the hall. As expected, Ginny Weasley did not attend breakfast. Granger is missing as well. Thomas looks sullen, his back slouched and his food untouched. The Weasel is smiling stupidly as he munched his pancakes.
"Dean, as I said before, you and my sister are just not meant to be," he said rather loudly after gulping half a glass of orange juice. "I know that my sister is good-looking but you will move on."
Scarhead is beside his best friend, silent but trying his hard to mask his glee. Draco's suspicions are coming true. Potter is neither a saint nor blind. He has a crush on the youngest Weasley. Disgusted, Draco stabbed the remaining sausage on his plate with his fork.
Blaise continues his announcement, "You are welcome, boys. Sorry girls, seems like your biggest competition is back!"
"Cheers!" Blaise clinks his glass of water to Draco's cup of coffee before winking at his blond best friend.
As the music nears its end, she turns her body towards Draco. She finishes with a perfect arabesque, sending a smile to her only audience as she bows down.
"Excellent as expected." Draco walks towards her, handing over an Egyptian cotton towel.
"Thanks." Astoria gently wipes her sweat. "I know you would say that being my number one fan."
"Yes, I am your number one fan," Draco replies while grinning, his hands in his pockets. "But yet, it is not enough for you to accept my proposal."
Astoria instinctively stiffens at his words. "Draco...You know why...I love you but I can't...Not yet. Not right now."
"There won't be another chance for us, Astoria." Draco laces his hand with hers.
"In the future we can plan-" Astoria continues but Draco cuts her off, "It is now or never."
Draco caresses her face with his other hand. "But you don't have to be pressured anymore. I completely understand. This is the last time we will be talking about it."
Astoria lightened up and kissed him on the lips. Draco returns the kiss, gently moving his lips to her forehead. He stared at her for a long time before saying, "This is us letting fate have its way."
He pulls away from her and walk backwards to the door.
"I will leave you now to your first love." Draco gestures towards the rest of the room with the bars and giant mirror for ballet.
"It is time for me to face my duties." He bowed with a sad smile on his face that went unnoticed by Astoria. She laughs, knowing how Draco dislikes patrolling the grounds.
Walking along the corridor outside the classroom, a flash of red caught his eye. The words of Weasel's little sister came to his mind, 'Unrequited love'. But does it have to hurt like this?
--------
"Babe! There you are! Let me carry this for you." Dean playfully grabbed her bag and books from her.
"I am fine. You don't have to do this, Dean," Ginny sighed.
He just grinned at her, "I don't mind the boyfriend duties."
He then slings his right arm around Ginny's shoulder, pulling her to a dark corner.
Brows furrowed, she turns to face her boyfriend who interrupted her with a kiss.
"Quality time, Babe." Dean is leaning in for another kiss, hoping to start a heated make-out session when Ginny pushes him away.
"What the-" Ginny hastily grabbed her things from his grasp.
"I don't want this, Dean," she says, looking straight into his confused eyes. "I am tired."
"I know you are not much into public displays of affection... but we are alone here now. Okay. We can continue this somewhere else." Dean reaches for her free hand but Ginny steps backward to avoid his touch.
"I don't want to be your girlfriend anymore," she continues. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before dropping her next words.
"Let us stop this already." Ginny glanced at his stunned face. "I am sorry."
She then turned her gaze away from his disappointed eyes. There standing tall and proud behind her now ex-boyfriend is Draco Malfoy.
'Shit,' Ginny mutters to herself as she escapes the crime scene. She quickens her pace, trying her best not to run.
"For Merlin's sake! Why does he have to be there!" Ginny groaned, shaking her head.
"I dumped Dean Thomas in front of Draco Malfoy." She is recalling what has transpired when she randomly uttered her break-up speech. "How heartless could I be!"
"Good timing as always, Ginevra." Ginny said sarcastically to herself. She does not understand why she recently finds herself in embarassing situations one after another whenever that pompous git is nearby.
'I will be the talk of the Great Hall tomorrow for sure,' she thought. She could imagine the headline already, 'Ginny Weasley, so disgusted by her Gryffindor boyfriend's affection, breaks up in front of a Slytherin prefect!'
She grudgingly climbs the stairs to the portrait hole while berating herself for her impulsivity.
"Shit. Fucking shit! Shit. Shit!" She cursed as she stomps her feet on the last step.
"Mind your language, young lady!" The Fat Lady chastised her. She mumbled the password right away. She does not want to receive any unsolicited scolding from a painting.
"Ginny! There you are!" Hermione calls out from the couch near the fireplace. Ron and Harry are beside her playing chess.
"Where have you been?" Ron questioned as he looks up from the chessboard. Harry is staring at her.
"Ginny...what happened?" Hermione stands up abandoning the textbook she was holding.
Then the first tear fell followed by another. Great, she is crying in front of her brother and friends who happen to be the classmates of her ex-boyfriend. She could not take it anymore. She flees to her room, her bushy-haired friend calling after her.
Before she closed her door, she heard Ron yelling, "Dean Thomas! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY SISTER!"
She cried herself to sleep. She did not even bother to take off her uniform. When she woke up, Hermione is seated at the end of her bed peering at her.
"What time is it?" Ginny asked as she push herself up.
"Enough time for you to freshen up," Hermione replies. No one else is in the room beside the two of them. Her roommates must have gone down already to the Great Hall for breakfast.
"How are you feeling?" Hermione gently inquired.
"Awful." Ginny walks over to the ensuite bathroom. She stands in front of the mirror as she grabs her toothbrush.
"Dean said that you broke up with him last night." Her friend's report has begun.
"After he helped you with your things and requested a kiss." Ginny could not help but groan at Dean's point of view. Of course what she pulled off yesterday is open for misinterpretation.
"It is not just because of that." Ginny has finished brushing her teeth. She leaves the bathroom and walks to her cabinet to pull out a fresh uniform. She turns to face her friend who for sure is currently deciphering her love life like a riddle.
"I just felt..." She glances at Hermione who is intently staring at her. "Nothing."
Hermione prodded, "You can tell me, Ginny. Go on."
Ginny sighed deeply, "That's it, Hermione. I broke up with him because I feel nothing."
Hermione repeatedly blinks her eyes before responding, "What do you mean, Ginny?"
"When he was being sweet to me last night, I just realized that I don't feel anything. Like I am not interested in him anymore.The attraction is missing."
"He turned you off?" Hermione asked, confusion still plastered on her face.
"Or he has not turned me on at all." Ginny buried her face on her hands as she plops down on the bed beside Hermione.
"I cannot pinpoint when it exactly started but I have been viewing him in a platonic way in the past weeks. And last night was when it became clear as crystal." Ginny concluded.
"At least you ended it before you further led him on." Hermione pats her back.
"Dean's demise cheered up your brother though." Hermione shook her head. "Ron was grinning like a fool earlier as he and the other boys came down from their room."
"Ronald being his insensitive self as usual." Ginny started changing her clothes.
"He almost praised Malfoy when Dean mentioned that he took points from Gryffindor for initiating a make-out session in the hallway."
With Hermione's last statement, Ginny Weasley tripped over her skirt that was half way over her ankles.
--------
"Good morning!" Blaise said, too merrily as he reached for toast from the bread basket.
The usual oblivious Crabbe and Goyle, who are seated across Draco, notice it too and throw curious glances at his best friend. Blaise is now comfortably seated beside him.
"You are like a fool." Draco scowled. Blaise just chuckled.
"Why so happy, Blaise?" Pansy inquired. Astoria and Daphne paused their conversation to tune in as well.
"I heard from the grapevine that Ginny Weasley and Dean Thomas broke up." Everyone in the Slytherin table turned their attention to him. The boys look surprised but relieved. While the girls started murmuring with each other.
So the bomb has been dropped. Draco just did not expect that it would come from the Gryffindor side, not that he would waste his breath spreading what he witnessed last night.
Draco peered at the table on the other side of the hall. As expected, Ginny Weasley did not attend breakfast. Granger is missing as well. Thomas looks sullen, his back slouched and his food untouched. The Weasel is smiling stupidly as he munched his pancakes.
"Dean, as I said before, you and my sister are just not meant to be," he said rather loudly after gulping half a glass of orange juice. "I know that my sister is good-looking but you will move on."
Scarhead is beside his best friend, silent but trying his hard to mask his glee. Draco's suspicions are coming true. Potter is neither a saint nor blind. He has a crush on the youngest Weasley. Disgusted, Draco stabbed the remaining sausage on his plate with his fork.
Blaise continues his announcement, "You are welcome, boys. Sorry girls, seems like your biggest competition is back!"
"Cheers!" Blaise clinks his glass of water to Draco's cup of coffee before winking at his blond best friend.
Author notes: To justify Astoria being ballerina, I tried researching if there are other performers in the Wizarding World aside from the Weird Sisters but it looks like occupations such as this are limited to singers. Other artists are more of into visual arts like magical painting. I adapted this particular plot point from Goong/Princess Hours. I think it suits Astoria as ballet has that touch of elegance and snobbery that purebloods can tolerate as a future career. The Dean-Ginny break-up angle is inspired by Half-Blood Prince but the scenes are from my imagination.
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