Pliés, échappés, pas de bourrées…a smooth adage playing on a phonograph while Élodie was doing what she does best. Between one class and another she found that empty classroom and hasn’t thought twice. While some were studying, others were resting, others were still trying to discover everything about the castle, Lola was getting everything she needed. Work out the ballet, really hard. It wasn’t any different than the other days; even in Hogsmeade she had always found a place where she could make her barre exercises to exhaustion, and then dance one or two songs of her choice just to relax. Dance was her life, and even when she and Cécile could get away from their mother she would still be a ballerina. She was born to that.

The first forty minutes passed, she would have time for a little one before stretch and run to get ready for the next class. Cici would kill her if she gets in there late… again. As if Cici wasn’t used to that. Besides, every time that happened was just for a few minutes, and few minutes on Lola’s watch doesn’t count. Ok, it did, she knew it; but they were still on their first week. She could hypothetically get lost in the castle.

Pointing her wand to the phonograph and changing the adage for a lively presto, Élodie smiled and walked graciously to the middle of the room, where she started dancing to the empty desks. They were her inanimate public, and she would make everything to give then a hell of a show. So even tired, sweat and without make up, she still was giving the best of her posture and grace to… no one. Because she strongly believed that a real ballerina doesn’t need a public to do great - she should naturally do great the whole time.

But a pirouette gave her a good vision of the whole room, and on that vision she wasn’t really alone. Another pirouette and she stopped, turning to him. “Hi… hey you!” She greeted him breathlessly, but with a bright smile. His face was familiar, but she couldn’t tell exactly where she saw him before. But that was the same with everyone in Hogwarts already, all the faces she had seen here or there. “Come closer! Want to dance with me or you were enjoying just watch?” With a laugh she asked, her French accent stronger, adding a certain mock tone on her question, though that wasn’t really her intention. 

Today was finally going to be the day Elijah would be painting again. It was bloody time as well. He had not found any time to paint since a month and a half, and now he really wanted to work out some sketches he had made after he had been flying at night. For some reason he always made more surrealistic sketches when he had been flying, such as the ones had made now. He also wanted to paint a dragon, as that had been one of his plans, but now he first had to work out this sketch. Elijah always painted where people could not see him, and when the painting was finished he would stack it somewhere no one would see it. Elijah felt more comfortable when his art was out of sight of others, he would feel as if they would be judging him, and he felt too insecure to be judged. And for that precise reason Elijah was now walking to the empty classroom on the fifth floor, as he always painted there. Not many people knew of the deserted classroom, which created perfect circumstances for Elijah to paint quietly. 

Being so focused on the painting, already working it out in his mind Elijah did not hear the music playing in the room. The music that would have warned him from the awkward encounter he was about to have. Pushing open the door the music hit his ears and Elijah froze. When he lifted his head and simultaneously dropped his painting stuff Elijah saw a beautiful girl making a pirouette. Elijah's mouth fell as he bend over to gather his stuff again, trying to divert his gaze from the ballerina. The girl noticed him then and with a strong french accent, indicating that she was from Beauxbatons, asked him to come closer. "I. I." He stumbled, seemingly unable to finish his sentence.

Now standing upright again, his painting stuff in his hands he looked at the french girl, mouth still hanging open. Snapping it shut he turned around, he had to get out of that room. His face was flushed red when he remembered where he recognized her from: Care Of Magical Creatures class. Turning back, his face still flushed red, he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"Sorry. You look great." Suddenly came out. Shocked by his own comment he took a few steps back, preparing himself to run. This was horrible. Why did he not just say sorry? Why did he always have to add weird things? Swallowing he took another step back. "Sorry." He said again. Mentally facepalming himself he awkwardly smiled at the girl. Thinking about running he reminded himself that that was not really an option, that would simply be too rude. This probably meant no painting today.

The boy holding painting stuff just said sorry and seemed to be really scared of her. Instead of coming closer as she invited, he was actually stepping back as he was ready to run from the room. How rude. And yet Lola laughed, because it was obvious he was just really embarrassed for being there. How cute was that? Beauxbatons boys could be anything, but seldom so awkward. And suddenly inspired to embarrass him a little more – because that was amusing and she hoped that maybe certain attitudes could end up helping him – she walked towards Elijah determined.

“Hey you, I do not bite, do not be afraid!” Lola held his elbows gently, but firmly enough to lead him through the classroom, at the point she was before, trying to avoid any remaining attempt of running away he could have. “My name is Élodie, I am from Beauxbatons, but I will let you call me Lola. Are you an artiste? You draw? You paint? What about showing me your art? You had seen mine already, so we can be even and dance a little song together, oui?” Lola winked, sliding her hands from his elbows to his painting materials as smoothly as someone trying to take a toy away from a puppy. “It will not hurt you, I promise… not if you are talented, naturellement, I may not stand bad art!” She laughed, obviously joking.

Elijah already prepared himself to run, for he thought the girl would never appreciate a guy like him entering her personal space, her training hour, when the girl actually moved closer towards him, telling him she did not bite. 'Well that is no surprise.' Crossed his mind as he braced himself. She introduced herself as Élodie, while she was actually holding his elbows, telling him she came from Beauxbatons. Elijah became as stiff as a plank, not knowing how to handle this psychical contact with a girl. He was very unknown with these types of contact, especially with strangers.

The rest that was happening was kind of vague to him, he could hear a lot of questions, but since he was too distracted by what was happening he could not really hear what she was asking him. The girl, Lola, winked at him as she moved her hands to the paintings. If there was one thing he would never share with a stranger it would be his art.

Coughing, since there were no words ready for him to say, he backed away, clenching his sketches to his chest. "It is... uhm.. nothing." He was able to produce, trying to shield his art even further. Trying to change the subject he tried pointing at Lola, which produced quite a funny look, as his arms were filled with materials. "You.. uhm.. dance?" He then asked, praying she would let his art be.

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OC: Oh my, sorry for the late respond!