Important: Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments);

House: Slytherin

Class: Photography

Assignment: #1- Write about someone learning to slow down and take things easy.

Genre: Romance

Word count: 1309 (Excluding Author's Note, but including entire Entry and Title)

Warning: This is an AU (Alternate Universe). Magic still exists; No Voldey. Mentions of alcohol, drugs, smoking, and sex to come in future chapters. Chapter One is my entry for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

Characters: (Main Characters are listed Alphabetically by last name.) Marcus Flint; Hermione Granger; Draco Malfoy; Harry Potter; Ginny Weasley; Ron Weasley.

Summary: Hermione Granger was sick of life stringing her along, so when an opportunity arises to enter a competition for free dance lessons, Ginny Weasley signs her up and miraculously wins. Once she learns the instructor is none other than Marcus Flint, a boy she went to school with at Hogwarts, she can't help free drawn to the over-zealous man with the impressive moves. In one short month, she's hooked. The end of the free lessons are drawing to an end, but will Hermione keep true to what her heart wants or will she end it all because of her own insecurities with relationships?

Author's Note: I hope y'all enjoy this piece. It'll be a very short work, maybe 5-6 chapters. I got the idea for this months ago and I didn't get too far with it due to all the other WIP's I have. But, I thought this would fit one of my Hogwarts Assignments, and it did :)

As always, enjoy

-Carolare Scarletus

Symphony

Hermione Granger was drowning.

In the hot, heavy fog of the studio, she could easily say that she was entranced by the mere weightlessness accompanied by the movements of the song and mesmerized by the proximity of her partner. He was doing extraordinary things to her body. He moved hands in time of the beat, finding the right erogenous zones on her body that made her mewl with each phase of his touch. His breath would course down his neck, raising the tiny hairs there while he pressed his own flustered body against her back or front, indicating to her just how much he wanted her. It took everything not to sigh in pleasure at the mere feel of his body as he pressed into her with even more need. Breathlessly, Hermione twisted her body, her hand practically molding to his naked chest as her sweat covered front married his, their eyes glued to her fingers as they danced up his skin, and curled around his cheek. The rumors in school were true.

Marcus Flint was an excellent dancer…

...but what was she doing?

Just three weeks ago she had been complaining about winning the drawing that led to their entanglement together, and now look at her: practically on top of her partner, almost begging to be fucked on the speckled floor of the dance studio. If anyone had told her just how stimulating dancing could be, she wouldn't have run away at the first notion of it. Hermione had been more than pleasantly surprised when she learned she had won the all-expense paid lesson with a local dance studio her best friend, GInny Weasley, had convinced her to enter. She had laughed herself silly, but was forced by, Ginny, to try.

"You're not going to fall flat on your arse, Hermione." Ginny smiled brilliantly in the memory of her conversation with her the previous month. "I think you can pull it off. Besides, she might even teach pole dancing."

The word did not sound as provocative as she wanted it to be. She scoffed at the idea, remembering just how flustered she was at the beginning of the month when they arrived. Ginny had tagged along for moral support, though, she knew better. She had no idea how close her assumption came to the truth and they she'd be head over heels with her dance instructor by the end of it all.

Her heart raced as Marcus 's hand gripped her elbows, the heat of the moment still flaring between them in a magnetic storm. The song had ended. They were merely combining their energies and crossing the stage with experimental, yet, animalistic steps, eyeing each other carefully to gage the other's next move.

"You're improving," he said in the same mocking tone he had taken with her at the beginning of their affair. It reminded her so much of their school days where he'd spend more time begging her to dance with him than paying attention to his studies.

"What's it going to take for you to dance with me, Granger?" Marcus Flint asked, the stunning Slytherin waggled his eyebrows as he sat down next to her on the bench.

They were sitting outside in the courtyard studying when he popped the question, and all she could do was stare at the Slytherin.

The memory popped up in testament to her attraction to him. Which, acting on the more rational side, was dangerous.

For the past several years, she was all about her work. She had thrusted herself straight into University, and hadn't taken any formal break since the beginning of her studies four years ago. At twenty-two, she couldn't very well say she had missed out on the world. Even with the awards and honors, she still felt empty. Though, it had brought her to some enthralling places. Friendships were made and old ones were tested. A part of her felt as if she was missing something.

She wanted to experience life….

…but, she was sick of it stringing her along.

Quickly, Hermione shook her head, her hair spraying around her. She could feel Marcus 's eyes on her, watching her as she dropped her hands from his chest and walked to the other side of the studio. There, she toweled herself off with a fluffy white towel, paying close attention to her torso before throwing it around her neck. It had been an extremely trialing rehearsal, and the only thing on her mind was a good shower. Cold, preferably. The heat inside the room was stifling and Marcus wasn't helping. He stretched his hands above his head, causing her to be stare openly at his nice, chiseled chest in admiration before catching herself and turning away.

He smirked, knowing he had caught her. Quickly, the two of them collected their belongings and headed toward the changing rooms. At the intersection, Marcus looked at her.

"I didn't think you'd be the one to gawk so openly, Granger," he teased. "Tell me, what part of my body do you like the most?"

"None of it." Hermione murmured in embarrassment. She turned her head to look at the mirrors around them. Even motionless, she could see every angle of his exquisite physique.

"I supposed it's getting late." He said after a while. "If you can me fifteen minutes, I'd be more than happy to escort you to your place."

This invitation normally would have made her jump and down with joy, but Hermione couldn't possibly take advantage of his kindness anymore.

"Thanks alright. I can manage." she started as she made a move to enter the women's room.

"Are you sure?" he asked, brows furrowing a little at the hidden insinuation that something was amiss. Hermione knew she wasn't acting like herself, and it was only brought into question when Marcus dropped his duffle bag and grabbed her elbow almost in the same manner he had back when they were practicing. This elicited the myriad of memories, causing her to let the breath she had been holding since then to escape her lips. If it hadn't been in that instant, it had to have been the way her body seized up that Marcus was able to piece everything together. "Oh…"

"I need to go," she said rapidly, her facing flushing like crazy. Just as she was about to move, Marcus swung her around and pushed her up against the wall behind her. They stared at each other. It was only then she realized it was nearing the end of the program. Although she should be thrilled, she couldn't help feel that she'd missed this sacred place and the man who taught her to love herself and life.

"I know you felt it, Hermione," he breathed. "Any idiot can dance, but it takes true passion to achieve what we just did out there." Marcus began to nuzzle her neck. Hermione's legs grew weak until she was unable to support herself. The only thing that was keeping her together was him.

"Madness," she hissed.

"What does any of this have to do with madness?" He bit her earlobe and she let out a shuttering moan. "Fuck, you're so hot. Burning. You feel it too, right?"

Marcus nudged her legs apart, settling into the place between her thighs.

They both sighed and Hermione shifted uncomfortably, trying to gain access to Marcus' face. He was incredibly honest. Any woman would be blessed to have him in their life's, but what he was silently asking went beyond her own comprehension and she couldn't accept his invitation. Instead, she pushed her off of her and looked at him with all the appreciation she could muster.

Although he taught her how to live again, it didn't mean she was ready to love.

She didn't think he could be the one to teach her that.