Chapter Four: Ballet
Hermione's point of view.
After I left the hospital, all I had to do was walk down the street to ballet class. It was rainy outside, and my umbrella protected my perfectly crafted hair from being destroyed. I was a little distracted on my way to the class; I wasn't dancing around like I usually did. It was because of him, he seemed to be all I could think about these days, however strange our relationship was. I was surprised to find that when he said he'd hoped I was his nurse, I had started wishing the same thing. All I wanted to do was hold his hand. Even if we couldn't be together we could still be together. I started to wish I'd skived off on ballet class. What a silly thing to wish. I love ballet. I was one of the best Pointe dancers in the country, and the best in town. Well, besides our teachers, but most of them are fifty something and they haven't danced in years.
Once I was inside the studio, there were only a few other girls in the room, some at the barre, stretching, some practicing walking around in their Pointe shoes. I walked to the corner and pulled my shoes out of my bag. I took my regular shoes off and began strapping the silky ribbons up my leg. I stood up and did a couple plies, some Pointe demi's. I gracefully slid into a Chinese split, stretching my arms out as far as they would go forward, my head touching the floor. I quickly sat up when I heard Madam Bouleicout tap her cane three times. All of us ballerinas glided over to stand before her, preparing ourselves for her criticizing words. I stood in perfect posture, looking at the wall ahead. I stood still on the tips of my shoes, careful to keep perfect balance. I heard someone fall, they lost their balance. I didn't dare turn to look. I wanted to shake my head; it was so obvious what madam was going to say.
Weak ankles. "Weak ankles!" she said, hitting the girl's ankles with her cane.
Weak knees. "Weak knees!" this time, she smacked the girl's knees.
Awful turnout. "Awful turnout!" she hit the girl's hips.
Weak abs. "Weak abdomen!" this time she hit the girls stomach, you could hear her trying to stifle a cry.
Dreadful dancer. "Dreadful dancer." She said, hitting the girl's feet. "You do not deserve to wear the Pointe shoes! Take them off and go put on slippers. You are at the barre today." I could hear the girl throwing her shoes across the floor and stomp over to the slipper basket. "Oh, bad temper." Madam said, only with a twinge of humor in her voice. The ballerina's giggled; we were expected to.
After that, no one fell. A few girls were called fat, a few more were told to invest in a diet called, anorexia. Another was told to invest in bulimia. I kept looking straight ahead. I only realized who was beside me when madam was speaking to her. "Riley, you are a very pretty girl. You are catching up to Miss Granger, here. Soon you will be able to do a duet." We both smiled; we'd always asked for a duet together, and we'd soon be getting one. She stepped on to me, the last in line. She tapped various areas of my body, checking for fat, cellulite, anything to criticize. She
found nothing. "You have a future in professional dance, Hermione. But, in your eyes there is worry. Please do not let that affect your performance." I nodded, wondering how she knew I was worrying. After our examinations, we set off to practice with a partner. Guess who mine was?
"So how was your alone time with Mister sexy?" Riley asked as we did aresquebes in unison. I rolled my eyes as we slid into our split. "I was only alone with him for a couple of minutes. Nothing happened. I just kissed him on the cheek, and that was it. I supposed I teased him a bit, but it was nothing." Riley raised her eyebrow at me, and I sighed, hoping she wouldn't ask how I teased him. "What exactly did you do?" I did a grand jete in an attempt to get away from her, but she followed suit, and there she was, hands on her hips, waiting for an answer. "Well, I just got really close to him and acted like I was kissing him, but didn't and then I left." She shook he head at me and smiled. "Only you would do that to someone who almost died." I gracefully fell to the floor and lay out on my back. "Don't remind me, I'm still a little shaken up. I mean, I didn't want to leave him." Riley frowned and plied down to be closer to me. "Do not let your worries affect your représentation." I rolled my eyes at her and sat up. "Don't you get all français on me, mes caca la tête amie." Riley's mouth dropped open. "I am not a poop head!" A few girls turned to look at her and started giggling. She glared at me and turned on her toes, only to be facing me again. "Damn-it, I'm awful at these damn turns!"
During the remainder of class, we danced to a song by Beethoven, and rehearsed for our Swan Lake dance. At the end of class Riley and I sat behind the studio, Riley rolled up a big joint and lit it up. "You want a hit?" she asked, after taking a big suck on the drug. I shook my head. "Nah, I'm good." She shrugged and took another suck. "So tell me more about Mister Sexy. All about him. What's he like in bed?" I sighed. Why did she have to talk about him? "I haven't slept with him, Riley. I've told you that, like a million and ten times." She smiled a baked looking smile and laid a hand on my shoulder. "You want to though, don't you? Have you seen his dick, yet?" sometimes she made me so mad when she was high. "RILEY! Just, shut up. I haven't done anything with him, end of story, goodbye, the end!" I got up and she muttered, "Don't get your knickers in a knot." I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and started walking back to the hospital. "I'll see you tomorrow, Riles. Don't get pregnant." It was a thing we did. "Don't get married." She called after me. Wow, this was the first time in a few weeks I hadn't gotten high with her. I hope she wasn't upset.
Someone has issuesss. well, that's a little bit of info on Hermione in this story. Review if you'd like. i know I'd like. It makes me better.