Sing Sweet Nightingale | Daniel

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Cray hid herself in the same empty classroom she had been coming to for years when she wanted to dance. For the most part, Cray was a fire ball who didn't really care what she left in her wake, however, there was a very odd and strangely soft part of her that while she no longer tried to keep a secret, she never did in any sort of company. The Slytherin girl had been doing Ballet since she could walk. Well, that was a little bit of an exaggeration, she went to her first class at the age of 2. It was a mommy-and-me class where the young girls got to twirl around their mothers doing whatever they wanted while their mothers actually did ballet at the barre. Her mother had her in classes growing up and Cray made her dad keep her in them even after her mother had lost her life. During the summers she took class in Essex where she lived with her father and sister. 

After ensuring the room wasn't in sure, (which it normally wasn't, though she had been walked in on quite a few times,) Cray stuffed her feet into a pair of worn looking (but perfectly broken in) pointe shoes and laced them up tightly. She did a few ankle stretches and then got up. She hated that she wasn't allowed music playing devices in the castle, it was so hard to practice without the music, but nevertheless, she persisted. She stood up, kicked her black and gold gym bag under a desk and cleared the rest of the room so she had some space. She took a few deep breaths and then eased herself onto the tips of her toes, on pointe. She was dancing Cinderella, it was part of her repertoire training that she was missing by not being able to take class during the school year. Under her breath, she began to sing a little music from the movie, though there were no lyrics in the ballet, but she had always loved the song and the story. "Sing sweet nightingale, sing sweet nightingale..." she whispered in melody while lifting her leg and keeping her arms straight as she leaned down before coming back up into an Arabesque.

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The days went by slowly but the end of the year was coming up sooner than Daniel expected. It wasn't like he would be that closer to being an adult and free to go where he wanted. Daniel still had another year here after this one ended and it wasn't worth counting down just yet. All he could do was keep going the way he had so far. The only change so far was he had started actually dealing with the people around him. Daniel couldn't outright hate the people and it wasn't fair too either. It wasn't their fault, everyone was doing what he would be doing if he was back home. Having fun with the friends they had since the beginning and enjoying the school year. It wasn't worth thinking about it now as he headed for the Transfiguration class room to see if the professor was in. Daniel did have a few questions he wanted to ask him but it would see he wasn't in once her for there.

Daniel was more than prepared to go back to the common room after that and turned to make his way back to the stairs. Sadly he was cut off. For some reason Myrtle was out of her bathroom now crying about something and Daniel ducked behind a corner the best he could. He had run into her twice, the first was a mistake when using her bathroom and the second he actually tried talking to her. That was the bigger mistake as now she roped him into a conversation or followed him whenever he was on the second floor. Daniel tried waiting because this was his only way to the stairs but she wasn't moving. Daniel cursed quietly to himself as now he was trapped in the second floor.

With a groan he walked the other way to kill some time till Myrtle wasn't blocking his way. Like he normally did, Daniel opened the unlabeled classrooms. This school did have far too many empty rooms for its own good. Maybe one day he would find something actually interesting besides broken desks and dusty rooms. It had only taken three empty classrooms till he found someone in one of them, this class room had a girl that seemed to be dancing or something like that in it from what Daniel could tell. "Let me guess, dance class? Professor or student?" Daniel said in a slightly sarcastic tone after a second of trying to figure out what was going on. Obviously she was a student but that didn't stop him from joking about it for a second.

@cray

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OOTD

Cray had never been more thankful that she gave up tutu's and pink tights years ago, than she was whenever someone walked in on her. It didn't happen often, but in all the times that she had, never was it by someone that she actually wanted to see. However, the existence of any person within her space was enough to make her stop what she was doing. A tall, dark haired boy walked in and she set herself down on her feet, loosing the three inches that standing on pointe gave her while doing so. She turned around and glared at him with her hands reaching around her back to tighten her ballet wrap around her waist. "Really? Every heard of knocking? Or are you trying to prove that American's are as obnoxious and entitled as everyone says?" she asked, not really caring about the answer. "Or did you want a lesson in Ballet?" she rolled her eyes. 

@crimson1

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A slight quick laugh escaped Daniel as the girl started to speak, while he listened he could only imagine the other time he walked into an empty class and also found a rather annoyed girl. This was turning out to be much the same and he was regretting even bothering with this door at all. "Yes, my apologizes a seemingly empty unlabeled classroom does require a knock but like you said why should I knock? Being as obnoxious and entitled as I am." Daniel replied with a mild level of sarcasm it wasn't the first time he had heard that stereotype. So far this seemed to be a mirror of his run in with the other girl. Daniel did smirk slightly while the girl asked about lessons in Ballet. "I'm entitled to it after all aren't I? Yet I'm not really dressed for it at the moment." Daniel replied using the stereotype that she had used once more. He also was just in his school uniform while she seemed to be prepared for a complete Ballet rehearsal. Which did lead him to wonder if she changed somewhere or just walked to this classroom like that.


@cray

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While Cray was in no mood to entertain, she did appreciate that this guy wasn't just running out of the room. But, as much as she appreciated his attitude, she was annoyed that he was apparently going to stay. So many thoughts of ways to end this situation ran through her mind. First of all, he was wearing Gryffindor robes, something that made her want to gag, but made complete sense based on how he had presented himself so far. No wonder he was so arrogant. "Is this a habit of yours? Do you get a thrill from walking in on strangers and then interrupting whatever they're doing? Were you looking to use this space, because it's taken." she said, setting her hands on her hips once she had retied her wrap. When he didn't say no to a ballet lesson, a smirk spread across the Slytherin's lips. She could at least get some entertainment out of the encounter. "Fine. take off your robe and your shoes and come into the center then." she raised her eyebrows playfully, interested to see where this would go, if not just for entertainment, maybe she'd get some flirting out of the encounter, anything to not have the time wasted. "That or leave, take your pick." 

@crimson1

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Daniel couldn't help but actually laugh this time as the girl asked if this was a habit of his. If she only knew the half of it. Daniel had been trying the empty classrooms of this school since he got here in the beginning of the year. He wasn't sure why he bothered as they all were empty or on now two occasions had girls who reacted badly to him showing up uninvited. " I wouldn't say for some thrills. It's more of just a hobby I guess. One of these doors has to lead to somewhere interesting at some point." Daniel explained, it may have sounded sarcastic but it was what he was doing after all. The girl accepted this turning into a lesson and instructed him on what to do, either that or leave. Which leaving was an option but what else was there to do, Myrtle would still be out there and he wasn't about to walk away from what seemed like a challenge in his mind. "Well let it not be said I didn't try it at least once." Daniel said with a shrug as he removed his robe and shoes before moving to the center. "What's next professor?"



@cray

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Ballet positions, for reference

A part of Cray had really been expecting the boy to leave, but instead, he did what she told him to. He took off his outer layers and walked over to her in the center of the room. "Those pants aren't going to do you any favors." she told him bluntly, giving him a once over glance before turning her back on him. She supposed it wasn't his fault, he hadn't come expecting to be bending in ways it was possible he never had before. "We'll start in first position." she said, she put herself into first position and then turned her head behind her to see what he was doing. "Put your feet like mine... it's not that difficult." she rolled her eyes and faced front again. "And now, out to second position." she demonstrated before turning her full body to watch him, trying not to let him see how much she was enjoying herself. She knew she wasn't really teaching, but there was a reason this was the first thing you learned in class when you were 4 years old, it was easy to pick up on. "Arms straight." she corrected him, reaching out and straightening his arms. "And now we go down, bend your knees out to the sides, not out straight." she did so gracefully and then came back up, keeping her eyes on him. 

@crimson1

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Daniel smirked slightly as the girl told him his pants weren't doing him any favors, they were doing just what they needed to and he wasn't about to go that far for this challenge. "Yeah but I'm not taking them off just yet, haven't even had a date. What kind of guy do you think I am?" Daniel said being sarcastic as he knew what she meant but that didn't stop him from twisting it just slightly. Daniel resisted the urge to point out that yes, the first position should be where you started. Daniel did his best to mirror her stance on the first position. Sure he could have half-assed this on purpose but why not give it a try since he was here. Next was obviously the second position and again he bit his tongue, he was feeling a little ridiculous as he followed her pose again. Ballet just wasn't his thing but he was a boy after all and that's just how it went in most cases. The girl corrected his arms and he just laughed quietly to himself. "Yes professor." Daniel added sarcastically as he kept his arms straight as she demonstrated the next position and he didn't hold back this time. "Third position I presume?" Daniel asked with a laugh as the next one would be interesting but he still tried as he bent his knees he did get a the sort of pop from them he normally heard when he was just getting out of bed and laughed slightly to himself again. He hadn't gone down as far as she had and it certainly wasn't as graceful or pretty but he did it the best he could.


@cray

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He gave her a hard time for her comment about his pants, nothing that she hadn't been expecting. "Not even in your dreams, Gryffindor." she corrected him. She was rather impressed at least by his attempt. He was actually trying, something she hadn't expected in the slightest, but there must have been something that he was really trying to avoid by having stayed and began really attempting ballet positions. He called her professor when she corrected his arms and she rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest as she watched him bend his knees and at least attempt the Plie, not going as low or wide as she had, obviously doing something to his knee as he went down into the unnatural position. "No, bending down like that is called a plie." she shook her head. "And if you really want to be fancy, you cross your feet like this while you do it." she shows him, bending her feet in the opposite directions that they were naturally supposed to go, after years of practice and increased flexibility, she found herself standing in first position on the regular. Ballet was a part of her life that had shaped the rest of her life, including her disdain for other people. Ballet was a very cut-throat and competitive world. "You doing okay, there Gryffindor? Need a break?" she asked, a teasing smirk on her face.

@crimson1

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With a shrug Daniel listened as she replied about his comment, which he had been expecting. "I don't know I've had some pretty weird dreams before." Daniel explained but thinking about her calling him a Gryffindor he had to assume her house since she wasn't in uniform. The way she said it made him want to think she was a Slytherin, so far she had the attitude for it but so did the last girl he ran into in an empty class room and she happened to be in his own house. For all his sarcasm of course the one he chose to to speak up on would have been wrong and not been the third position, that was just his luck today it would seem. The girl also said there was a more fancy way to do it and demonstrated and he wasn't about to try it himself. "Well I don't feel that fancy today so I think I'll pass on that one." Daniel said with a slight laugh, he was fine with the one he had barely done just a few moments ago. He never said Ballet was easy just not for him but he could see how flexible you had to probably be for some of the positions so far. "I can keep going but if you want to take a break by all means that's fine with me." Like Daniel said he could keep going but he also wouldn't mind just sitting around and not feeling goofy for awhile either. "Names Daniel if you'd rather your use that but this is your class after all." He didn't mind being called Gryffindor but it just didn't feel right having only been in the house for less than a year.


@cray

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"You'd better keep me out of your dreams." she demanded. Gross. She didn't even like the idea of a Gryffindor dreaming about her. However, this particular Gryffindor was a little less obnoxious than the rest and she wondered if it was a cultural difference? Hew as up for her challenge, he didn't even want a break when she offered, despite his knees having obviously and loudly disliked the plie. He told her that he was alright to keep going and she decided to continue her little lesson then, while she had a man in the room not only willing to play along, but also taller than her, she figured she'd might as well use it to her advantage. "How about I call you either Gryffindor or American for now, and you can pick." she was all about giving him the choice, apparently. She had given him the choice to stay or the choice to go and now the choice of what she would call him, what a luxury. "Alright. We'll move onto Pas De Deux then, partner dancing." she translated the french name. She took his hands and showed him how to hold them. "One at head level and on at your hips." she instructed. "And then," she took both of his hands with her own, holding him firmly as she lived herself back on pointe, lifting and bending one leg behind her while she put all of her weight on the two toes she was standing on. 

@crimson1

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"Listen I'm flattered you would think that's what I meant, I should have said I've had dreams I didn't want to have before." Daniel replied with a smirk as he didn't mean for it to sound like he wanted to dream of her at all in the first place. Even if he did he would have found that a little creepy to say out loud to anyone. As the lesson went on she decided to keep going and forego the break. Daniel would probably regret not taking her up on the offer of a break but he would have to see. So far it was just awkward and he felt a little odd but nothing out right terrible. "I guess American if those are my two choices, hadn't been a Gryffindor long enough to sound right honestly." Daniel replied, she probably got some kick of out not using his name but that was fine with him, it wasn't like he saw them being on a first name basis much. As the girl decided on the next thing to teach he decided he now regretted not taking that break when she offered. Still he was the one to sign up for this and he did get offered the break. As he didn't see any point fighting about it he just put his hands where she told him and watched as she did the rest. Moving his hands where they needed to so she could get into pose. "For someone that was telling me to leave you certainly are trusting me to not tip you over or something." Daniel said with a smirk, enjoying this wouldn't be the work he would have used as he still felt incredibly silly. More this was just something new that he hadn't done before.

@cray

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"Yeah way to talk yourself out of that one." She nodded, she fully believed that he had never actually dreamed about her, she even would have believed that he had probably never even seen her before, If they had passed each other in the halls she wouldn't have giving him a second glance, but she rarely did for anyone, especially not for Gryffindors. She set herself back on her feet, again, getting noticeably shorter as she came off of the block of wood that her two toes were perched on top of. "You seem to underestimate me, American. Even if you did let me go, I can keep myself up, otherwise I wouldn't be wearing pointe shoes." They didn't let just anyone dance on pointe. It took years of barre work to learn how to stand on the front edge of your toes, boys were mostly there for lifts and to make the poses pretty, each ballerina was competent enough to keep herself safe. "You think this is lame don't you?" she put her hands on her hips again. looking up at him.

@crimson1

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"Oh good you believed me for a second I thought you were on to me." Daniel explained in a mocked voice of worry, he hadn't even ran into this girl before so it would have been hard to dream of her and aside from her reasonable good looks her personality had been a turn off so far. Any dream that involved her wouldn't have been a willing one on his conscious part at least. No accounting for what his subconscious turned into a dream half the time. "Well that is why you're the Ballet professor after all I suppose. Also yes how obnoxious and entitled I must be to underestimate you." Daniel replied with a laugh as she was now calling him American. Why not bring that stereotype out once more. Daniel just smirked slightly as he thought about how to answer the girls question about Ballet. It was one with many paths, to be a complete jerk or honest and all things in between. "I wouldn't say lame, I can see it takes practice and effort obviously from how you move. It's just not for me really, I just feel a little silly." He explained deciding with being honest, even if this girl was difficult it seemed Ballet was important to her and he didn't really feel like being a jerk to something someone found important right now.

@cray

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"You're finally starting to catch on, American." she smirked in response to him calling himself obnoxious and entitled. She knew it was doing it as a way to mock her, but she was willing to go along with it, at least for now. She had no desire to impress this man, she had no desire to ever see him again, however, in this moment, he was at least offering her a bit of entertainment. And she did find herself interested; he was a Gryffindor, that was obvious, but he didn't fully act like one, there was absolutely something different about him, likely it was a result of his American culture. "You feel silly because you don't understand the technique and skill required. Male Ballerinas truly get all the ladies, so you're missing out there." she insisted, teasing him. "So why are you even here? What are you running from? What can't your Gryffindor courage get you though?" she asked with her arms still folded across her chest.

@crimson1