MAGIANIMA // Hermione Granger

Rejection

A sharp thwack hit the side of Atlas's leg, straightening her foot while another went to her arm, raising it higher. The Black winced, holding back her yelp as Fleur sought to fix and perfect any other faults in the girl's form with a long and thin stick she'd found on their way to the Black Lake. After the fiasco a couple of weeks prior when Minerva had given the Gryffindors four hours of dance instructing, Atlas had gotten absolutely nowhere, she had still been as naff at dancing walking out as she had been when walking into the entrance hall that torturous day. 

It was all thanks to her partner switch. When the music had started up again, she'd been paired with Neville rather than Hermione and as the two were both generally hopeless at dancing, it went as well as anyone would have expected. Which wasn't well at all. Hermione had been forced to dance with a guy named 'something' McLaggen and Ginny tried her best to help Harry who was just as hopeless as his fellow Gryffindor champion.

Which was why Atlas was down by the Lake at the crack of the dawn with Fleur Delacour, a renowned dancer among the Beauxbatons lot. They'd been working on Atlas's dancing since her first practice and Atlas still wasn't sure she was going to be able to do the opening dance of the Yule Ball. All she could think about was potentially falling over herself as she had done with Hermione and every time she did, she would trip and land hard on her front.

"Your mind is clouded!" Fleur scolded when Atlas misstepped for the nth time that morning. The Hogwarts champion took a moment, breathing heavily as her chest raised and settled erratically. There were beads of wetness dripping down the side of her face, her bare abdomen slick with sweat as she swiped a hand through her hair and quickly reassumed her dancing position. "Zis will get nowhere if you do not trust yourself!"

"I'm worried I'll mess up!"

"Don't! Zat is ze reason you are fumbling! You are zinking too 'ard!" She chastised, waving her stick around in the air as she momentarily tossed it to the side and moved into a perfected stance, with her arms out in front of her, chin raised and entire form confident. Strong but flexible, steady but free. Atlas watched her silently, wiping an arm across her face and placing her hands at her own hips as she eyed each movement the Veela made. "See 'ow I move! Delicately. And now--" She switched, taking the form of the lead, the change seamless and expertly done. "I am ze guide! Ze foundation! I am communicating my intent to my partner! It is 'armony!"

Atlas circled her, brows furrowed as she took in heavy breaths and tried her hardest to mimic those movements to herself. Fleur turned to her and beckoned her closer, the younger girl obeying and immediately placing her hand on Fleur's hip when she was instructed. Her eyes immediately darted to her feet but Fleur slapped her cheek lightly, hiking her gaze to meet hers.

"Eyes on me. We communicate through our eyes, zat is 'ow our intent and connection is made. You need to be able to signal your next move while remaining sturdy. Remember, do not zink," Fleur warned and Atlas gulped, nodding nervously. "Now begin."

They moved, dancing across the rocks of the bank as music played at the back of their minds. Atlas's movements steadily became more and more rhythmic as she became less and less anxious, her mind clearing and her form and obligation as their foundation becoming stronger. She lifted Fleur into the air, staggering only slightly when her healing arm pinched with blinding pain but she kept her composure and ended the dance, almost stumbling at the last moment. She covered it up by falling to her knee and kissing Fleur's knuckle.

"Yes!" Fleur cheered, clapping heartily as Atlas stood with a weary smile. "Yes! Yes! Zat was good! Very good! You are getting zere, but you still 'ave many improvements to come. 'Owever, you did fantastically. Very well done! Very well!"