Again, keep in mind that this is AU.
Ophilia leaned against the mirror backstage in the studio, trying to control her breathing. Nervous was the least to describe her situation… she was downright scared.
Ophilia McLaggen, age eighteen, famous for her purple hair, oddities in friends, and her previous captainship of the dance team. That's the girl that was leaning against the mirror in heels, a purple tutu, and a silver leotard. She was usually a perky, bubbly girl who knew the language of boys and always had a smile on her face. But right now, she was shaking, her skin clammy, and she felt close to tears. She just couldn't go out on that stage. Not in front of all her friends, her family… and especially, Fred Weasley.
You see, over a year ago, Ophilia was a very normal girl. She went to school, kissed boys, and hung out with her best friends, Sarlanda Malfoy and Jennifer Potter. She was a passionate dancer, gaining the right to be dance captain her junior year, and getting it again her senior year. But, one day, something happened to make it all go away in a flash. She, Sarlanda, and Jennifer had been walking downtown. Sarlanda and Jennifer went to cross a street, and Ophilia somehow missed them. And as she ran across the crosswalk to catch up, a car had hit her, sending her flying into the air, breaking quite a few of her ribs and shattering both her dreams and her right leg.
She was in the hospital for a week, and in braces and casts for many, many more. Her parents fought with the driver in court for nearly two months before they finally won just enough money to cover the majority of her medical expenses. The rest was covered by what her family could save up and what people donated to her out of pity.
But the biggest problem? She couldn't dance. And dancing was, well, her life. It frustrated her to no end, and when she finally did get out of those stupid casts, she had to rebuild everything she had been doing since she was six. Her friends and family had helped her out, but facts don't lie, and the fact was that she wasn't nearly as good as she had been before the accident.
So she didn't want to go out there. She didn't want to fall, screw up, or in all generalities, embarrass herself. Not in front of all those people. She reached down and ran her fingers along her leg, where, under the skin-coloured tights, was the biggest of the scars from where the doctors had had to fix the bones to grow back together correctly.
"Ophilia? We're on in five."
Ophilia looked up to see Sophia Warbeck standing in the doorway, her black hair and dark skin both coated lightly in glitter. She was smiling gently and held out a pair of purple fairy wings to Ophilia. "Fair Queen to the stage," she added. Ophilia sighed, walked over, and Sophia attached the wings to her back.
"I can't do this, Sophia," she said miserably, facing her fellow dancer. "I'm just not as good as I used to be."
Sophia snorted. "Well, you're still good enough to get an epic solo, and you know Miss Sternson doesn't pick lightly." Ophilia nodded, slipped out of her heels and into her ballet shoes, and followed Sophia over to the right wing and to the line of other girls, all in fairy costumes.
They watched Arietta Brown, the lead in this dance show, dance gracefully across stage as if moved by a gentle wind. 'That should be me,' Ophilia thought bitterly. 'I should be the lead. But no…'
And then the other girls in front of Ophilia tiptoed out in a line to begin their dance. Sophia gave Ophilia's hand a light squeeze before following the other girls on. When they had all made a sort of U around Arietta, Ophilia leapt out onto the stage.
On cue, the lights turned blue to signify water. And then Ophilia began her elaborate dance of twirls, leaps, and a lot of standing on her toes. She only missed her mark once, and she exerted a lot of energy to keep her face as gentle and flowing as her dance. She caught a flash of red hair sitting near the front, which could have either been Jennifer, Fred, or George, his twin. Her heart pounded, a line of sweat formed under her purple bangs, and she could feel little pricks of pain in her right leg, but she carried on. It ended when the male lead, Mason, ran on stage, and the lights went piercing white. Everyone froze, and the lights went out. 'End of Act One,' Ophilia thought thankfully. And she had done it. She had danced her dance. How great it felt to finally be able to dance again.
Ophilia took a huge bow to the applauding, whistling, and cheering audience. Then she backed up to the other fairies. Finally, Arietta and Mason came on and did their bow, and then everyone all together. The curtains closed, the stage lights went off and the regular lights went on, and there was a general scramble for the dressing rooms. Sophia helped Ophilia out of her wings and find her heels; she would change at home. Ophilia started down the hall out to where she knew everyone would be waiting, and just couldn't stop grinning. She had done it. She had done what she had been longing to do for over a year, and she had done it well. Things were going to be okay again.
Her mother was the first to greet her. "Oh sweetie, you were amazing!" Mrs. McLaggen cooed, giving her daughter a rather large bundle of flowers, and nearly crying in the process. After her mother was done, her father pulled her into a tight, one-armed side hug.
"You did good, Ophilia, and I'm proud of you," he said in his gruff voice. Ophilia's eyes started to tear up. He had never told her this before; her little brother, Cormac, had been his favorite.
And there Cormac was too, holding out his fist. Ophilia tapped it with her own and smiled. "Good job," he grunted, but she knew he meant it.
"Ophilia!" called out a familiar voice, and she looked around to a group of people standing a little ways away, the majority of them red-heads. Ophilia wiggled out of her father's grip and jogged over to them, throwing herself into a hug with Jennifer Potter.
"Oh my gods Ophilia you were amazing!" Jennifer yelled, squeezing her friend tightly. "I just knew you could do it!"
"Thanks Jen," Ophilia said as she was swept up into a brief hug from Sarlanda Malfoy, which surprised her and left glitter all over Sarlanda as well.
"You did good," Sarlanda said, justifying the hug and the small smile on her face. Ophilia merely nodded and turned to the next person, or rather, persons.
Fred and George Weasley were there with their identical red hair and freckles, towering over her. Ophilia had always been the short one of the group, and still was even with heels on. She smiled and nodded at them.
"Fred, George."
"Ophilia McLaggen," started George.
"Easily the most amazing dancer," added Fred.
"That we've ever seen."
"And probably ever will."
Ophilia grinned. "You guys are spazzes."
It seemed like she was there for hours, when it was really only about fifteen minutes. At some point, she was beckoned over to a secluded hallway by Fred. "Yeah Fred?" she asked, head tilted to the side a bit. She could recognize a guy making a move when she saw one.
"You really were amazing out there. I don't think it could have been more amazing how far you've come back," he said softly, locking eye contact with her. She smiled and blushed just the tiniest bit.
"Thanks."
There was silence, and then she decided she needed to tell someone. "You know, I wasn't going to go out there. I was so scared that I would mess up and embarrass myself in front of everyone."
"Why? You were fine."
"I know, but I'm not the dancer I used to be."
Fred reached over and squeezed her hand. "Maybe not, but you'll get back up there. It's you we're talking about."
She smiled again, squeezing his hand back. Then they walked back to the crowd together.
But this time, it was Ophilia's heart that had been doing the dancing, not her legs.
:D
So, comments questions or concerns? Reviews are loved!
Title credit goes to the song "To Dance Again," from A Very Potter Musical.
~Icamane