James Sirius Potter was not pleased when he found out he would be participating in Hogwarts Comes Dancing. Especially as he was in his Sixth year, and a Gryffindor student, and was getting ready to train for Broomula 2, aiming for a career in Broomula Racing, just like his dad, Harry Potter, who was a two time Broomula One Champion, as well as a NASBroom Champion.
His younger sister Rose was in the Broomula Junior series as well, and she was was the Champion last season, but they had both been dragged into the dancing competition by their mother, Hermione Potter, who was the Charms Professor at Hogwarts and had the idea for the competition in the first place.
Of course, Rose was looking forward to it because she was being paired with her boyfriend, Scorpius Malfoy.
But James didn't have any interest in dancing, and he was paired with Alison Longbottom, a Hufflepuff who had been training to be a dancer all her life. They knew each other, sharing classes, and Alison watching his Broomula Junior races, but she saw him as more of a "racer boy" than a serious boyfriend prospect.
In fact she had once told him that he was a racer boy, which would be ironic as the first song they had selected what a song James loved listening to as a child, a song by a Muggleborn named Avril Lavigne called "Sk8er Boi".
Somehow, the lyrics seemed to fit their situation perfectly, with James playing the role of the rebellious skater boy, being a Broomula racer, and Alison being a dancer, judging him without really knowing him. James wasn't sure if Alison would even be able to tolerate him for the six weeks that the competition was scheduled for, the 12 rounds, let alone dance with him.
Their first practice was awkward, to say the least. James was stiff and uncoordinated, while Alison was graceful and precise, moving her body with ease. He stumbled over his feet and nearly tripped her a few times, causing her to let out an exasperated sigh.
"James, you need to relax and let yourself go with the music," she said, trying to hide her frustration. "Dancing is all about feeling the music and expressing yourself."
"I don't know how to do that," James admitted, feeling embarrassed. "I've never danced before. Give me a broom, and a race course, and I'm happy as Larry, but this... this is something new."
Alison looked at him, a thought in her head.
"What if we made the dance a Broomula themed dance?" Alison said, "You know, add some flying elements, maybe wear your Broomula race suit? It'd be a sure fire way to get some extra points from the Judges. The only thing is, you'd have to teach me to fly."
James perked up at the idea. "I like the sound of that," he said, a smile forming on his face. "And don't worry, I can teach you how to fly. Do you want to share my Broomula Bolt?"
Alison's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? You'd do that for me?"
"Of course," James said. "I.. I've.."
"You've what?"
"Nothing" James said, shaking his head. "Meet me at the Gryffindor Common Room at midnight. We've only got a couple of days until the first round, haven't we?"
Alison smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest at James's sudden enthusiasm. Maybe this competition wouldn't be so bad after all.
Over the next few days, James and Alison practiced hard, incorporating flying elements into their dance routine, and James taught Alison the basics of flying on his broom. They even managed to sneak in a few extra practice sessions in the middle of the night when the castle was quiet, perfecting their routine until it was flawless.
When the night of the first round arrived, James and Alison were nervous, but they took comfort in the fact that they had worked hard and were ready for anything. As they stepped onto the dance floor, James felt a rush of adrenaline, his heart pounding in his chest.
The music started, and they began to dance. James could feel Alison's hand in his, her body moving in perfect sync with his, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. As they twirled and spun, their flying moves adding an extra layer of excitement to their performance, James realized that he was having fun. More than that, he was enjoying being with Alison.
When the song ended, the crowd erupted into applause, and James kissed Alison. Not the kiss of a friend, but a real kiss, full of passion and longing.
Alison was taken aback at first, but she soon melted into the kiss, her arms wrapping around James's neck as they kissed. When they finally broke apart, James looked into her eyes, feeling his heart beat faster with each passing second.
"I don't know what just happened," he said, his voice hoarse with emotion. "But I do know that I never want to stop dancing with you."
Alison smiled, her eyes shining with happiness. "I feel the same way," she said, her voice soft and gentle. "I never thought I'd fall for a racer boy, but here we are."
They hugged each other tightly, feeling a sense of joy and contentment that they had never experienced before.
"The Judges scores please." Hermione asked.
The judges gave James and Alison a total score of 35 out of 40, which was the highest so far in the competition, and not bad for a 1st round dance.
James and Alison grinned at each other, feeling proud of their achievement.
"Looks like we're in the lead," James said, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"Yeah, but it's only the first round," Alison said, her smile turning mischievous. "We've still got 12 rounds to go, and who knows what the other competitors will bring to the table?"
James chuckled. "Bring it on," he said, feeling more confident than ever before. "I'm ready for anything, as long as I'm dancing with you."
By the time of the final, it was just James and Alison and Rose and Scorpius competing for the title of Hogwarts Comes Dancing Champion. It had been a tough journey, but James and Alison had grown as dancers and as a couple, and they were determined to give it their all in the final round.
Rose and Scorpius had chosen a tango, "Por Una Cabeza", which had got the top score of 40, making it clear that they were strong contenders for the title. James and Alison had chosen a dance from a Muggle film called "Dirty Dancing", and the song was called "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", a dance they opted for for the mambo.
As they stepped onto the dance floor, James felt a mixture of excitement and nerves. This was it, the moment they had been working towards for weeks.
"Now I've had the time of my life, and I owe it all to you," the music began, and James and Alison started to dance, their bodies moving in perfect harmony, each step and lift executed flawlessly.
As they danced, James couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and love for Alison. She had been there with him through the entire competition, helping him to become a better dancer and supporting him when he needed it most. He couldn't imagine going through this experience with anyone else.
When the song ended, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause, but the judges still had to critique.
"James Potter. That was FAB-ulous," Ron said, smiling broadly. "You've come a long way since that first practice. And Alison, you were amazing. You both looked like you were having the time of your lives up there."
Professor McGonagall, who was the strictest judge, nodded in agreement. "Indeed. I must say I was impressed with your performance. The lifts and spins were executed with great precision, and your chemistry was evident throughout the dance."
Kingsley Shacklebolt added, "I must say, you both have grown as dancers and as a couple. It was a pleasure to watch."
Flitwick, who was beaming from ear to ear, said, "That was simply magical! You two were enchanting together!"
James and Alison headed over to Hermione, who wanted to know their thoughts.
"That was amazing, James," Hermione said, beaming with pride. "I knew you had it in you, and Alison, you were fantastic too."
"Thanks, Mum," James said, grinning. "It's been a crazy six weeks, but it was worth it."
Alison nodded in agreement. "It was definitely worth it," she said, looking at James with a smile. "I had the time of my life."
James put his arm around Alison, feeling a sense of contentment and happiness that he had never experienced before. He knew that he had found someone special, someone who he could dance through life with, no matter what challenges they may face.
As the judges announced the final scores, James and Alison held their breath, hoping that they had done enough to win the title of Hogwarts Comes Dancing Champion.
"Ten" Kingsley said, holding up a card with a perfect score. "Ten" Ron said, holding up a card with a perfect score. "Ten" McGonagall said, holding up a card with a perfect score. "Ten" Flitwick said, holding up a card with a perfect score.
James couldn't believe it. He had tied with his sister. It was now up to the students of Hogwarts to vote.
As they waited for the results of the student vote, James and Alison stood together, holding hands and watching as the crowd murmured amongst themselves. James couldn't help but feel nervous, his heart beating faster with each passing moment. He had come so far, and he had worked so hard for this moment.
Eventually Luna, who held the envelope of the magical ballot, stepped forward, a smile on her face.
"And the winner of Hogwarts Comes Dancing is..." she said, drawing out the suspense.
James and Alison held their breath, waiting for Luna to reveal the winner.
"Rose Potter and Scorpius Malfoy."
James felt a pang of disappointment, but he couldn't deny that Rose and Scorpius had danced beautifully. He knew that they deserved to win, and he was happy for them.
He turned to Alison, who was smiling at him, a sense of pride and joy evident on her face.
"You were amazing," she said, her voice filled with admiration. "I'm so proud of you."
James smiled at her, feeling grateful for her support and encouragement throughout the competition.
"Thanks, Ali," he said, pulling her close to him. "I couldn't have done it without you."
Alison hugged him tightly, and James knew that he had found something special in her. Hogwarts Comes Dancing may not have resulted in a victory for him, but it had brought him something even better - a new love and a new passion for dance.
Maybe... just maybe, one day, once his Broomula career was over, he would consider pursuing dancing more seriously, with Alison by his side.
As the night drew to a close and the students started to make their way back to their dormitories, James and Alison lingered on the dance floor, lost in their own thoughts and feeling, when they stood underneath a piece of mistletoe.
James looked up and saw the mistletoe hanging above them, and he couldn't resist the temptation.
"Hey, Alison," he said, pointing to the mistletoe. "You know what that means, right?"
Alison grinned, feeling her heart skip a beat. "I think I do," she said, leaning in towards him.
As they kissed, James felt a sense of contentment and joy wash over him. He had found something special in Alison, something that he never knew he was missing. Hogwarts Comes Dancing may not have ended in victory for him, but it had given him something even more valuable - a new love and a new passion for life.