Fires at Midnight (Cedric Diggory)

12 ~ Ballroom Blitz

O

Vixen stormed back to her room where she threw the fur coat outside and changed into her own clothes followed by igniting the coat with furious green flames. Never had she been so frustrated in her life nor had she felt so vulnerable and violated.

Her thoughts rapidly ran from smiling at Cedric to talking to Viktor Krum to Narcissa, then Draco, glimpses of seeing Hogwarts, and the Minotaur's labyrinth. Everything was so overwhelming she wasn't sure what was up from down and so she did something she had not done for many years.

Inside her closet hung a pair of shoes that held a bit of Vixen's past that was truly genuine. Not a single living soul knew of this obsession for she had abandoned it when her father had died but tonight she was coming out of retirement. She jerked the powder blue colored pair of pointe shoes from the closet and magically put herself into a matching silk leotard with an elegant flowing skirt. She hurriedly did her hair in a sleek updo before placing a robe around herself and stepping out of her room.

Quickly and quietly she crept barefooted down to the ballroom where she was sure she would have peace so she could fall apart in the only way she knew. With a point of her finger a single beam of light glowed in the darkness right onto her as she sat down and put on her shoes and then took off the robe.

As soon as her robe touched the ground music started playing and Vixen began to warm up and stretch to violins by Mozart. Little did people know that the master artist was actually a brilliant wizard who seemed to prefer the muggle world.

She took things really slow as she stood on her toes and got used to using muscles she had not used for years. Her balance was off and muscles weak but within a half hour she was back up to speed doing remarkable leaps and landing sophistically on her toes.

Her moves were once again enchanting and graceful as she frolicked all around the room bending and gliding in a manner that at times seemed to fight off evil.

From the corner of the room two mysterious eyes watched the breathtaking display of beauty and elegance with astonishment. Magic could never make something that beautiful and graceful he thought to himself as he watched her float about the floor until suddenly the song changed to music he had never heard before. It was cellos softly playing but they kept getting faster and faster and Vixen kept perfect steps with it especially toward the end of the song when the music seemed out of control but this girl kept perfect sync with it as the cellos wildly played. Once the song was finished the stranger in the corner exhaled which was enough to catch Vixen's attention causing her to react with a spell. "Confringo!" she yelled.

"Impervius!" said the voice in the corner making it so her charm wouldn't make him explode.

"What the hell are you doing here Diggory?" demanded Vixen is an unpleasant tone that also betrayed her surprise.

Cedric looked her over still in amazement by the talents of this young lady until she interrupted his stare in a quaky voice, "Get out now Diggory!"

Cedric was now in shock. Not by her demands but by her tone for simply by that he knew she was scared but of what?

Vixen was tired of telling him so she went to her robe to leave but Cedric cut her off first. Unlike other times she would not look in his eyes and challenge him. This time she was trying to avoid his gaze.

"Malfoys paid you another visit didn't they?" He said recognizing the familiar expression she had had after Lucius had cornered her.

That was just what he needed to say to get her attention. Her eyes shot to his with shock and wrath at what he had just said.

"How.... Wha..... Never mind! I'm leaving!" She pushed past him and began to walk away until she heard his voice again.

"The way your hands quiver give it away and clench." He said softy before reaching for her clenched hands.

Vixen jerked around to face him before he could touch her with her jaw clenched but she just looked at him unable to find the words.

Cedric quickly changed the subject, "So where did you learn to dance like that?"

Big mistake!

Before Cedric knew it he was flying through the air at the opposite wall.

"I said, leave me be Diggory." She said in a dangerous voice.

Cedric fought back and for twenty minutes they dueled although he knew she was just toying with him.

She easily parried everything he threw at her although it was nothing that would hurt her causing sparks and fire to light up all around them in every color imaginable until she had enough and sent him spinning through the air until he was stuck on the ceiling.

What had he said?

Once he hit the ceiling he had just enough time to see her vanish behind the closing door although the end of her skirt shut in the door.

He knew she was gone and had left the ripped fabric so when he found his way back onto the floor he went and retrieved it, debating whether to follow her back to her Tower and confront her and make her talk to him, or to just go back to his common room.

Neither seemed right so he instead went to the Prefect bath room in hopes that he could be alone and ponder why she reacted so.to be alone.

*~*~*~*~*