Dancing Through Life

Fitting in wasn't a very hard thing for Ben to do, he was pretty good at it. He came from a mixed family full of adopted children and they all seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces. He loved his family and missed them constantly, he usually kept in touch by cellphone and owls. But mostly cellphones. It was difficult to get a signal around Beauxbatons and he urged with the Headmistress to find a way for the students with cell phones to use them properly, he wanted to be able to get a hold of his family whenever he could. She told him she was working on it and it could take a little while, but he was impatient. In the mean time, he used his spotty cellphone to contact his family. Time zones were terrible, Ben was sure of it. After four years, he still wasn't used to being in a different time zone than his parents and he didn't mean to wake them up when he called.

He had spoken to them the day before so he didn't feel the need to call them today. Instead, he sent them a quick text telling them he loved them and missed them. Since he didn't have classes today, he decided to go outside and enjoy the nice weather. With his cellphone in his pocket, Ben went out to the courtyard. He didn't see many students outside, which was bizarre to him. But he took it as a chance to practice his dancing. Since he began school in France, he hadn't had dance classes unless it was during the summer. He didn't want to get rusty and he didn't want his big sis showing him up during the summer when he was back home.

He played his favorite song from his phone and set it down on the grass. He made sure to step away from it so there was no chance he was step on his phone. He began to do some simple dance moves to warm himself up but soon go more and more into it, his body feeling the music. He then did a handstand and flipped to his feet. His eyes widened as he saw someone had been watching him, he suddenly lost balance and landed on his butt. "Ryder! You scared the crap out of me!" he glared up at his housemate.

Ryder's last class of the day was Herbology and he hated it. There was dirt everywhere and his gloves didn't fit correctly. He always asked if the plant they were touching would be hazardous, and if it wasn't, he'd take them off and just work with his hands. For that reason, he perpetually had soil under his fingernails. Even when he cleaned them out really well, they were stained black.

He was picking at his nails as he walked across the grounds back toward the castle when he passed Ben. Correction: When he almost passed Ben. The dancing boy had Ryder stopped in his tracks and he was more or less gawking.

Ryder watched the boy's eyes widen and he felt bad as the boy fell back onto his feet. "I didn't mean to," he said, giggling a little. "What are you listening to? Are you done with classes?"

Ben quickly got up and wiped off his jeans. He then grabbed his phone and turned off his music. He was so embarrassed and he was sure his face was red, maybe even bright red. He wasn't embarrassed about being caught dancing, he was rather good at it, but because he hadn't expected anyone to be watching him. He had a few classes with Ryder and only ever talked to him a couple of times, but he thought the other boy was nice enough. And even thought he was a little cute. But he was never going admit to it, even with a wand pointed towards him.

He was a bit annoyed with Ryder, he hadn't even apologized for scaring him. He crossed his arms and let himself pout. "Even if you didn't mean to, you could have apologized for doing it." He slipped his phone into his pocket and looked down at the ground. "Just some muggle song," he shrugged. "My schedule was clear today, surprisingly."

He bit his bottom lip and looked back up at his housemate. "What are you doing? Besides scaring the living crap out of me."

"I was just standing here. I wasn't doing anything. Why should I apologize?" he asked with a smile. He really didn't mean to scare his classmate, but he was glad he did. Ben's pouting was hilarious to him. And kind of cute, but he wouldn't say it aloud unless it came up.

"I thought I've heard it. My mum is a dancer, you know. I used to sit on the floor of the studio and color while she danced," he explained with a shrug.

"Lucky," he said. "I had four classes today. I can't wait for OWLs to be over. I want to drop Herbology. I'll have dirt on my hands until I graduate, at this rate."

"Can't decide. You distracted me and now I can't remember the choices I had to pick between. Who should really apologize?" Ryder asked, a teasing smile on his lips. He was just kidding. Or flirting. But it wasn't really flirting unless it worked. That way, he wouldn't be disappointed.

"You snuck up on me," Ben accused, his pout only growing as he spoke. Even if he didn't mean to scare him, he should still apologize. It was the right thing to do after all. "Even if you didn't mean to, you should still apologize. You'd be a decent human being if you did."

Ben perked up at the mention of dance. "Your mom is a dancer? That's so cool!" He took lessons and was no where near as good as a professional dancer. Though he tried his best. "I take lessons with my big sis. We have competitions all the time. My parents say we tie, but I think I'm the actual winner."

He giggled at Ryder's comment about having sort on his hands. "That's why they provide gloves, silly." He didn't mind getting his hands dirty but if he had gloves then he'd use them.

"Not me," Ben stuck out his tongue. It hadn't been his fault at all. He chuckled and held out his hand. "The son of a dancer better have a few good moves of his own."

"I was just messin' with you. I'm sorry I scared you. I'll sneak a cookie from dinner and bring it to your dorm room tonight," Ryder promised. Eclairage had a strict rule against unwrapped food in the dorm rooms, but Ryder didn't care. He just made sure to clean up his mess.

"Yep. Mabel has been dancing for the whole three million years she's been alive," he replied, annoyed at his mother. Mabel hadn't put up nearly the fight he wanted her to when he came home with his lip pierced. She looked furious for a moment and punished him for about two weeks, but she didn't make him take it out. His dad just smiled at Mabel and Ryder like he thought something was funny, but otherwise didn't interfere.

"I'm sure you are. I can't imagine anyone being better than you," he said. And he meant it. Ben was just fifteen. He was already so good at it and he could only get better.

"My gloves don't fit right. I think I accidentally took someone else's because mine are giant sized," he explained. "I hate them."

"Me?" he asked, though there was no one else Ben could be talking to. "No no no. I haven't danced since I was little." He put his hand in Ben's anyway. "Can't we just hold hands?"

A smile formed on Ben's face at Ryder's apology. He was glad that he got one out of him. He liked to believe it was because he was pouting and his pout could make people do what he wanted. A cookie would be nice to look forward to. "You don't have to get me a cookie." He didn't want his friend to get in trouble. But then again, Ryder could find himself in trouble without any of his help.

Ben raised an eyebrow at Ryder's comment about his mother. He knew wizards lived for a long time, but he doubted that Ryder's mom was actually three million years old. "That's mean to say," he said matter-of-factly. He excused his comment and chose not to comment on it any further. "I think that's so cool, though. That your mom is a dancer, I mean." He would kill to be related to a professional dancer. He wondered if she was famous and if she had competed.

Ben blushed at Ryder's compliment. "Thanks," he said shyly. "But I'm not the best." He could name a million people that were better than him and those were just the kids he had dance class with. "I'm not that good."

"Then ask for a new pair." Ben shrugged. It could be simple if Ryder let it be. And when it came to Ryder, nothing was simple.

"Yes you, silly," Ben grinned. Though Ryder protested, he still grabbed his hand. Ben's blush grew when Ryder asked if they could just hold hands instead of dancing. "I, uh, um," he stuttered but couldn't find the right words. He quickly pulled his hand away and stuffed them into his pockets. "My hands get sweaty," he said quickly. He didn't know if he wanted to hold Ryder's hand or not but it would be embarrassing if his hand got sweaty. He placed a quick kiss on Ryder's cheek to show that he wasn't trying to be mean. The blush only grew on his face at his own actions.

Ryder waved his hand. "I'm getting you a cookie," he said firmly. He'd sneak two. Maybe he'd get an invitation to snack with Ben. That was if Ben didn't already have plans. He was popular. More than Ryder, at least. The only thing that Ryder was known for was causing trouble and sitting in detention on the regular. But it was a new year and he'd yet to receive a detention. He planned to keep it that way so he could go to Cheval on Fridays instead of doing stupid chores around the castle.

"Mabel's mean," Ryder grumbled. He knew it was a little childish to hate his mother, but she was strict and he just wanted some freedom. "I guess it is. My aunts and uncles are cooler, though. Isobel is an auror, Serah is an obliviator, and Aidan is an enchanter." For whatever reason, those jobs fascinated Ryder. He loved listening to stories about magic. For that reason, he almost liked History of Magic. Almost. He thought the stories would be more interesting if there were more about saving the day rather than the evolution of quidditch and the day such and such law was out into effect. Regardless, he kept decent marks in the class.

The boy shrugged. "I think you're good. Isn't it about developing your own style or whatever?" he asked, spouting something he felt like he'd heard his mother say before.

"Hmm... a new pair? I guess I could. Huh." Ryder would have to ask Mabel to send him some new ones. It would solve his problem. But not his stained fingernail problem. "The dirt will eventually get bored and leave, right?"

He was embarrassed when Ben took his hand away. Ben's excuse only made him feel worse. As if anyone really minded sweaty hands. Ryder would almost rather Ben tell him that he didn't want to hold hands. This was a bad sign and he was disappointed, even though he'd tried not to be.

He was typically good at keeping his composure, but his face felt hot where Ben's lips had touched. He raised his hand up to his cheek as he noticed Ben was having a similar reaction. "I, uh, gotta go," Ryder blurted out.

Ryder didn't know why his first instinct when things went differently than expected was to run, but it was and he bolted toward the castle, managing not to faceplant until he was safely inside. A hand reached out to help him up, and he recognized it immediately as belonging to Professor Cox. He wasn't dead now, but he would be soon, he could feel it.