Laurette had just left the music room where she’d hidden away from everyone so she could get in touch with the dancer inside. The piano had been charmed to play a mix of classical pieces and she had dressed in a sleek black leotard and pale tights, black legwarmers keeping her calves loose. Her well-worn ballet slippers were still on her feet as she walked back to the common room, shivering slightly in the night air. She hadn’t planned on being out so late, and hadn’t taken more than a light sweater with her. Now that sweater was simply not enough, and she was shaking by the time she slipped into the common room.

When she entered and heard the beat tapping out, the French girl was taken back to her hours spent twirling, leaping, and spilling her heart out in her dance in the well-warded music room. She sprung to her toes, moving with the beat over to the boy, a hand sliding out into the air as she threw her head up proudly, eyes sliding shut. Her back was straight as a board as she moved, letting herself hear more music than could possibly be tapped into the room.

The Head Girl started to lose herself in the tune in her mind, lifting one of her legs and pointing the toe in toward her knee, spinning her body around so fast it might give someone less practiced motion sickness. Coming out of the quad spin, Laurette leapt into the air, forgetting she was no longer in the open music room. She opened her eyes and cried out as her leg hit a table and she lost her footing completely, falling sideways into the lap of the boy who’d been tapping the beat that got her started.

A light blush colored her cheeks as she looked into the face of her classmate, feeling foolish and embarrassed that he even saw her in her leo and slippers. “I… erm… I believe I forgot myself there. Terribly sorry,” she muttered, trying to get up only to find that her ankle, which had been recently injured in a duel, was not able to take any pressure. “Oh, bollocks.”

Ah, Luca Lestrange. The more handsome of the twins, in Laurette’s rather shallow opinion. She didn’t much mind being in his lap and at his mercy, if she was honest with herself, and the slight concern in his eyes had her hungry. She sighed dramatically and lifted her foot, toe delicately pointed, so that she could motion to her ankle.

“That Mudblood Granger did some real damage a few days ago in the dueling chambers. Apparently it’s still rather tender,” she said. It was kind of upsetting, really, that she probably wouldn’t be able to dance again until it was actually healed properly. Pomfrey hadn’t really helped all that much with the injury the first time, and she doubted the witch would do anything new now. Just tell her it needed to rest. Well, that was just grand. She could definitely afford to sit around all day until her stupid ankle decided to stop giving out on her.

Laurette sighed and found that she was rather comfortable in the boy’s lap, her back over his thighs and her head in his arm in a way that might have seemed like a pose of lovers. “The nurse seems to think I shouldn’t be walking on it, let alone dancing, but who is she to tell a trained ballerina not to twirl? You can’t take that away, you know? It’s just… cruel.” She thought the boy would probably understand, based on the fact that he seemed rather into his own little beat. “I can’t help that music makes me need to move.”

It was odd for her to show such an innocent side of herself to a member of her house. Usually Laurette was strictly business and sexuality, but she felt oddly comfortable with Luca. Maybe it was the way she’d never actually slept with him before. Maybe it was that look in his eyes that seemed more… genuine than other snakes. Or maybe it was just that her ankle hurt and she had fallen and it all took away from the suave grace she normally possessed, so it didn’t really matter right now anyway. Whatever it was, Laurette was looking at him kindly, and it was a look no other man save Tobias had seen from her.

Laurette smiled and had to agree with the boy’s opinion of the Gryffindor Prefect. The know-it-all was constantly overstepping her bounds, and she really needed to mind her place in the pecking order. It was painfully obvious that many of the Prefects did not respect their Head Girl, and probably didn’t think very highly of the Head Boy either, since he was mostly seen as a pushover of sorts. It was… frustrating.

“You’ve healed yourself up rather than letting that crazy woman do it? Does that mean you could fix my ankle?” she asked innocently. Laurette batted her lashes at the handsome man, hoping he might decide to help her out. “Then I could properly dance for you…”

The French girl licked her lips, wondering why she hadn’t spoken with him more over the years. He was actually quite nice to speak to, and it seemed likely that they had at least a little bit in common. It would make sense for them to spend time around one another. “So, you drum. Do you play any other instruments?” She wasn’t sure if she could properly dance to drumming, since she only really practiced ballet, but she found that she wanted to share her talent with this musician of sorts. Hopefully he could fix her ankle up so it would actually be a possibility.

“Hmm, guitar you say? I bet you could play a soft little thing that would be perfect to dance to. Nothing complex necessary. Just enough of a melody to move these frigid bones and I could entertain you in repayment. You know, if you really will fix my ankle.” She flashed the boy a smile that few had ever seen. She really was a beautiful girl when she smiled. Much prettier than when she looked at people with cold judgment on her face.

Usually only the Head Boy saw her like this. She never let her guard down around other snakes, if she could help it. For some reason, though, Laurette wasn’t scared to be herself with this boy. He reminded her of her Tobias in many ways. In the way he seemed to fill with joy at something so simple as drumming on the sofa… In the way he smiled and touched her so gently. She could tell he had a much rougher side, but he knew to be easy with her pain. It was nice. Much kinder than most of the males she interacted with in her own house.

Laurette moved her body a bit so she was snuggled closer into his lap. It was nice. Comfortable and warm. She felt like she could fall asleep right here, especially if he fixed up her leg. It felt oddly like she was cheating on Tobi simply by being close to this man, even though they’d both been having sex with other people the whole time they were involved with each other. She felt suddenly awkward, and a blush rose to her face and chest.

“I usually just dance to the piano. I charm it to play for me. I’ve been looking for someone who can actually play instead. Know any pianists around here?”

Laurette was rather surprised to find that this handsome man happened to play piano as well as guitar and drums. The fact that he was willing to play for her made her smile, and she looked into his eyes as he touched her cheek. He was an interesting specimen of a man. She really did want to get to know him better.

He was gentle with her wounded ankle as he healed it for her, making her shiver in his lap. It always surprised her when people were soft with her body. So many were harsh in their natures toward the equally harsh Head Girl. She let out a relieved sigh and moved her ankle in a circle, stretching it and enjoying the way it didn’t hurt anymore.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, eyes fluttering closed as she relaxed against him. “I would love it if you would actually play for me. I hope you would enjoy my dancing though. It’s not very exciting…” She hoped this boy would understand ballet more than others did, since he seemed to understand musical talents and the desires that came with them. She hoped he could respect the workout that her leaps and spins provided, and the toned muscles in her legs and abdomen, which showed when she performed. Laurette hoped, but she didn’t dare to assume.

Laurette didn’t even know why she was so interested in this boy taking an interest in her. She just wanted more than Tobias to see her for more than the snotty Head she was. This guy just seemed… different.

She couldn’t help but smile at the boy’s assessment that it was only natural to heal someone like he had. So different from the other snakes. This boy was really something interesting to Laurette, and she had some guilty nagging feeling in the back of her mind as she leaned up and gave him a soft kiss on the lips before pulling away and getting to her feet in a swift, graceful move.

“Thank you again, it feels much better,” she said, cheeks still pink with slight embarrassment. Why was she embarrassed? Laurette did not get embarrassed! She tried to ignore the nagging as she nodded at the boy. “Tomorrow after dinner. I’ll be there.”

With the plans made, the Head Girl practically ran for her dorm, not wanting to even think about why the situation was bothering her so much. She wasn’t doing anything wrong. She wasn’t even being sexual with this guy, which was completely different for her. Maybe that was the problem. This wasn’t just some innocent act of using someone. She was actually rather attracted to this man, and she felt guilty for that attraction. She was in love already. She was spoken for. She had no business flirting so shamelessly with another man!

Laurette fell into a restless sleep that night, dreams full of those concerned eyes that had healed her and the loving, happy gaze of Tobias. What the hell was she doing?