Alice is just 11 years old when she finds out she's a witch and has to attend a magic school. Her life's been pretty ordinary; although she has never known her true family, she's found one in her foster parents. However, everything will change when...
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The first task of the tournament lived up to everybody's expectations. Establishing its degree of danger, the task involved the four young wizards to retrieve a golden egg from a dragon. It turned out, they needed the eggs, as they could be opened, and each contained a clue that would be necessary for the second task, which was taking place in a few months' time, in February. Harry and Krum were tied on the first place, both with 40 points, and people were easing up on Harry, as everybody had seen only a madman would enter such competition considering the risks it implied.
A few days after the task, everyone residing at Hogwarts were asked to assemble in their respective common rooms, as they were about to receive some extraordinary classes.
"Dancing lessons?" Alice asked Daphne – although she meant to be rhetorical – while they stepped the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. All the students had gotten a notice announcing that this year, there was going to be a Christmas dance, in honour of the celebration of the Triwizard Tournament. They were told that the attendance to the ball was voluntary, but, on the other hand, the dance tutorials were mandatory for all scholars. "Are they serious?"
Both girls were already heading down to the dungeons, as they had been indicated to go to their common room. "Are we really going to lose potions class for dancing lessons?"
Once inside the Slytherin room, Professor Snape was already awaiting there. Evidently, he'd heard Daphne since he answered. "Unfortunately, yes, miss Greengrass." As soon as all Slytherin members where present, he put order. "Quiet, everyone." Not one soul dared to speak after the man's voice resounded in the dungeon. "As you well know, this year Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament, which means there will also be a Yule Ball." He led off. "It is necessary to know basic ballroom dancing notions for the reason that, without them, the ball would be a disaster."
"It is meant to be a disaster, either we know how to dance or not..." Alice mumbled, meaning only for her friend to hear, yet unfortunately, the professor drew her attention.
"I take that you're chatting because you're already an excellent dancer, miss Prince."
Alice became very nervous in just a second. That was the first time Snape had directly talked to her that year, since she came to know they were related. By good luck, that did not jeopardize her marks on the Potions subject, but the teacher now had chosen to reserve his partiality.
"Oh, no. I'm not-" She uselessly tried to divert awareness away from her.
"Why don't you voluntarily give your classmates a demonstration?" The Professor stared her straight in the eye until she stood up and walked to the centre of the room, next to him.
"Another volunteer to help miss Prince?"
Well, Alice had most certainly learned the lesson. He'd found a very good way to humiliate her, since everyone at hand knew she was, although remotely, kin to him, and no one was going to volunteer to dance with her.
After a few seconds of absolute silence, Snape seemed about to let Alice back to her seat, putting her out of her misery. However, at the very last moment, someone stood up. To everyone's surprise, it was Vincent Crabbe. Every head turned to him as he cleared his throat to talk, but he never got to say a word, for one of his closest friends cut him off.
"Sit down, Crabbe!" Draco Malfoy tugged him by the sleeve in such a gross way that it made him fall down. He also turned to glare at Blaise Zabini – his last incorporation to his minion group – who looked like he had considered standing up as well. After that, Malfoy stepped forwards and looked up at the Professor. "I'll do it, sir."
"Great initiative, Malfoy." The man applauded him. "Ten points to Slytherin."
Alice gaped at Snape while she witnessed that scene. She couldn't believe how Draco was being rewarded just by that. Malfoy was giving her a cheeky look, which she returned with one of aversion. "I'm not dancing with you." She stated, but Snape, who was literally looking down on her, cleared his throat away. Alice got the clue. "Okay..."
Draco placed his hand on her waist and pulled her a bit too close. Alice had noticed his cologne before, but now that they were so near to each other, the scent permeated her. She then took a step back, leaving the appropriate space between them two, before putting one hand on his shoulder and wrapped the other around his right hand, keeping her elbow up at shoulder height.
The instant Snape was happy with their example, she instructed the rest of the students to follow their steps. "Now, everyone, grab a partner and get in the same position. We'll start with a simple Box Step."
❋ ❋ ❋
"That wasn't so bad." Daphne said as they made their way back to their shared dormitory. Dance practise had been dreadful for Alice. Malfoy wouldn't stop chuckling and joking with his mates while she had to put up with whistles and murmurs that embarrassed her. Her friend, conversely, had a much better time than her.
"Yeah, because you got to dance with Warrington." She threw her book bag on her bed and laid besides it, exhausted.
"Yes." Daphne's voice took on a dreamy tone. "He's asked me to be his date at the ball."
Alice pushed her body up to be sitting down. "I thought I'd be your date." She was joking, in part, as she evidently was happy her friend got a date for the dance. But she couldn't deny that she would have loved to go with her if by chance any of them got a partner to go with.
Daphne looked hesitant to talk at first, and Alice understood why when she finally did. "Why don't you go with Draco?"
"Because," She though she didn't need any further explanation but Daphne raised an eyebrow for her to continue.
"Yeah...?"
"He's Malfoy." Once again, Alice believed that to be more than enough. Wrong again.
"And?"
She sighed, defeated. "I don't want to go with him."
"Yes, you do."
Now Alice was the one who wanted clarification. "No, I don't."
"You're not fooling anyone." Daphne affirmed, as if it were vox populi. "He's been after you for some time, give him a chance."
Alice looked at her incredulously. "I've given him a chance. Multiple chances, actually. But his urge to be a halfwit always outshines it."
"Well, I think you like him." Daphne shrugged her shoulders, her mind already set. "You just won't admit it." Alice broke eye contact with her friend and repeated her last words in a mocking intonation. She only received a wry look from her. "Al... He's been straightforward since the beginning."
"There's no way we could work out." Alice finally admitted what was in her mind. "Every time I think about it, it just..." She looked at Daphne again, not knowing how else she could explain how she felt. "Doesn't work."
"But you consider it. If you absolutely didn't want anything to do with him, you'd straight up say no." Daphne's wise words almost made an impact on the young witch, but then she joked again. "Just promise me you'll name your first child together after me."
