Chamber of Love

Chapter 40

This chapter was originally going to be longer but I didn't want to keep you waiting and I also wanted this to be just about Juliette and Draco.

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  Juliette's secret haven on the seventh floor greeted her with welcoming arms, swallowing her small body and hiding her from the rest of the world.

It's been a couple of days since Cedric left her. She didn't know how many. Five? Seven? Two? Everyday was the same as before. They were full of tears, guilt, self-pity and comforting snuggles with Elvis. Juliette never left the common room, not even for meals. Hannah and Susan took it as a responsibility to bring their roommate some food. Juliette didn't want to talk to anyone. Not that she had many people to talk to anyway. There were also no classes, and tomorrow was the day where everyone returned home for the summer holiday. End of another school year.

She decided to spend her last day of fourth year in her secret chamber. Doing something she hasn't been doing for a long time. Dancing.

One side of the room had barres and Juliette didn't know what their purpose was since this was formerly a classroom, but she didn't question it. It was useful to her after all.

She grabbed the barre with two shaky hands, her eyes never leaving her feet. She was wearing her ballet shoes, which had the name 'Elvis' carved underneath them, and a little black summer dress with the same coloured jumper on top of it. They weren't made for dancing, not at all, but she didn't have anything more comfortable. Dealing with tights and leotards and skirts was out of question since she barely had enough energy to stand on her tiptoes without falling back two seconds later.

A frustrated huff left her lips as she tried once again, pulling herself upwards with the help of the handrail. It was painful. Her toes hurt, her whole feet and legs hurt. Her hands grabbing the barres shook them, making a rattling sound of metals.

Juliette let herself drop with a tired sigh. She cursed herself for not practicing the whole year even though she had pretty solid excuses. Nevertheless, this was a good distraction. She couldn't prance around and dance freely without possibly injuring herself but at least she was occupied with trying to get back on track.

"Come on, come on..." She whispered to herself, turned to her right and grabbed the handrail with her left hand. Her eyelids covered her eyes as she stood in first position and her breathing slowed down.

Lifting herself on the flat tips of her shoes started to get easier, more familiar and more controlled as she kept doing it over and over again. But it was still painful. The muscles within her calf started protesting along with her feet, begging her to stop and continue with something easier.

Juliette didn't listen to them and kept going until the arch of her feet started to slowly regain their usual flexible form. Until a pained grimace started to take over her expression.

She stopped with a whimper, got out of the position and leaned against the barre while trying to ignore her shaky and aching legs. Her breath and heartbeats were the only sounds echoing in the lonely room. Except, it wasn't a lonely room because Juliette wasn't alone anymore.

"I didn't know you did ballet." A voice suddenly reached her ears, startling her.

Juliette instantly grabbed the rails tighter and looked up. She noticed Draco for the first time as he stood by the door by himself, leaning against a wall and watching her silently.

"When did you come in?" Juliette asked, surprised and embarrassed. Surprised that she didn't hear him entering the room and embarrassed because he saw her while... failing at simple ballet exercises?