How in the name of Merlin..

She had only been out in the snow for about ten minutes, and there was snow in places snow should not be. Socks, mostly. But she was far too hungry to remove her shoes just to shake it all out. She would be sitting down soon enough. A nice warming charm would do just the trick. That's if.. she ever made it to the Great Hall.

Note to self: Do not stand in front of the double doors. It was dangerous.

Flailing just a bit to keep her balance, the floor was all wet from the snow she had managed to get off herself, Vanora turned around quickly to see just who it was who RAN right SMACK into her. Only to have her eyes widen when they fell on Ella and before she could even say anything, the girl was going on about.. surely snow had just gotten into her ears and she was hearing things. She had just come from the barn before leaving for the castle! And she would have deducted points from the girl for making something like that up if it hadn't been for the look on her face.

And the shaking. Definitely the shaking. "Ella." she felt her face drain of all color as she took the sleeve tugging as a hint and took a few steps towards the doors. "Are you.. sure they're.." Her lip wibbled and she couldn't get the word. "All of them?"

Escaping the scene in the Great Hall, Leobald came into the cold Entrance Hall shivering both from the rush of emotions which had come from impulsively kissing Cecelia and being slapped across the face and the chilly hall. The whole mess was all his fault and now Cecelia was probably pretty angry with him. How was he supposed to know that she hadn’t known the tradition associated with mistletoes?

Sigh.

Sitting down on one of the last steps to the staircases leading upwards to the higher floor’s the dark mop-haired librarian shivered slightly as he tugged his robes closer to his skin in a sudden gush of wind coming from the open front doors, he was not in the mood to go back the library just yet and face the rest of the day’s work.

Rubbing his face distractedly he just stared at his shoes hoping that Cece could forgive him.

Hurrying after Leobald as he left the Great Hall, Sophia was happy to find him on the steps. It meant she didn't have to go searching the castle for him. Even though it went against her better judgement to step on the presumably dirty steps, the charm professor gingerly sat next to her bestfriend and leaned against him.

"Perhaps Cece is having a bad day.." she offered kindly. Truth was the healer seemed to only have bad days, had anyone even seen that woman smile? She highly doubted that.

And hadn't he gotten a haircut like a month ago? The man was worried about going bald when his hair grew like weeds.

"How does a big glass of warm butterbeer sound? My treat." She poked him.

Hearing hurrying steps coming towards him Leobald fully expected it to be a fuming Cece who wanted to shout at him. Instead it was Sophia he best friend and confidant. And she even sat down on the steps next to him even if Leo knew she wrinkled her nose at the dirty steps.

Feeling her leaning against him he roused himself from his numbness somewhat. "Maybe, but I shouldn't have you know made it worse..." he trailed off staring at the big double oak doors in front of them.

Shivering slightly as a new gust of wind blew over them Leo nodded "Yes a nice big glass of warm butterbeer sounds lovely. It's quite chilly here." Ignoring the poke he rose to his feet offering Sophia a hand up.

Damon sighed walking and finally just sitting in the great hall, he was so bored lately, nothing to do.

Minerva had decided she was going to head to the great hall for something to eat and some hot chocolate. She was in a good mood and it showed a smile across her face that hadn't left since the previous evening.

Turning the corner she stopped and saw a familiar face that looked sad, she hated seeing her friends sad and it seemed like Damon was always sad anymore. Walking over to him she sat down, "Hey cutie, what are you ding here all alone?" she nudged him and smiled.

Damon snapped his head up hearing someone talk to him, "Oh... Hey Min..." He gave a half-hearted smile, "But, nothing really, just... thinking." Was there really anything else to do on a day like today? The two year anniversary of his mothers death.

He sighed, "But what're you up to?" Damon leaned back against the wall. No doubt that today was just made for the sadness, the sleet and snow and all that horrid stuff was just a reminder to him of his and his mothers last walk together, before he had been forced to watch her die to save his life.

Minerva smiled even though she saw him looking sad. "Whatcha thinking about?" she felt worried about her friend. He had such a hard term so far and she just wanted to see him perk up. She tried to think about if there was a girl she could introduce him to or something that she could do to help him.

Minerva then looked at him, "Well I was on my way to get some hot chocolate and maybe something to eat, but then I saw you and wanted to see what was going on." she looked at him with concern. "What's wrong Damon?"

Damon looked back down, "My mother actually... Two years today since she passed." He sighed. He'd just spent most the day walking around, he hadn't gone to a single one of his classes... not that that was out of the ordinary for this year... but still, he'd been even more sure to avoid them today, not wanting to deal with a teacher lecturing him on the importance of learning a spell or getting a potion just right.

"But nothing's really wrong Min... Just one of those days, you know? Where it seems like there's really nothing left except to mope around for a bit." Damon shook his head.

Minerva frowned, well that was a way to end a good day. She knew how it felt to lose parents. Placing her arm through her friends and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry friend. What can I do to help?" She knew there wasn't much, but just being there could maybe help. Then looking at him again she gave a small smile, "So your not to mad at me for forcing you to meet new people the other day, right?" She was just doing it for his best interest.

Damon sighed and laid his head on top of hers with another sighed, "There isn't much that can help..." He knew she knew that, she'd lost both her parents but he still just didn't want to make it better either. He shook his head to her question, "No, I'm not mad, it was just really uncomfortable honestly." Though, once again, she should have figured.

Minerva felt his head on top of hers. Her friends were so important to her, especially the ones that helped her through everything a few years ago. So how could she help one in his time of need. It just seemed nothing was going Damon's way this term. 'Why don't we go do something fun? We could go down to the lake, build a snow man, hang in the common room. What do you want to do?"

"Anything that means I don't have a chance of seeing Ariana." Damon said plainly, today was already a crappy day, he didn't need to add his heart shattering at the sigh of his ex on top of that, "But I honestly don't want to go to the common room. Chances are you'll try to force me to talk to more people again."

Minerva rolled her eyes, "Oh Damon.. You are fine meeting new people, it's not killing you." she giggled towards him. "Plus, maybe that's what you need. To find someone else to get your mind off Ari. I love her, she is my bestie, but come on Damon.. It's time to find someone new and move on from her." she was worried about her friend but enough was enough. She was not liking him being upset everyday.

"One day I will just keel over from you making me talk to these people... I'm not a social person." Damon gave a small smile. Her suggestion of meeting a new girl to be with, he sighed, "I don't want to get to know someone just to try to get Ari off my mind, Min..." He looked down at her with a slight frown, "I tried that once before and that didn't work out well."

Minerva laughed, "Oh Damon, you can't die from talking to new people. I think it does you some good to branch out from our little group." She smiled up at her friend. "Damon, honestly your a sixth year, you have plenty of time for relationships. You will find the right one.. Just give it time." she listened to him again, "Damon, Ari isn't right for you. I love her to death, but you two aren't right for each other. You need to stop being upset over this and start being a happy green eyed boy I know you are." she nudged his side and smiled.

Damon shook his head with a smirk, "Nope, going to be the death of me, I promise you." He smiled, "And I'll have them right it on my tombstone, 'Death caused by Minerva Wheatborn's pushing for socialism'." And back to a frown with the talk of his love life, "I honestly don't want to date right now, Min." Well, that wasn't entirely true, he wanted to date, but there was only one person he wanted to date. Whether she was a good fit for him or not, "I just want a break from thinking about it and about what a crappy year in love it's been." Damon sighed, "I am still green eyed," One out of three wasn't to bad was it?

As Belle made her way to the entrance hall, she saw Minnie and Damon in a deep conversation. Belle smiled and show Minnie she was entering. She hated walking on awkward conversations. She felt the tension somewhere. Belle smiled and looked at Damon, "Hi guys." she knew something was wrong with Damon but thought it was none of her business.

Damon paused a minute hearing someone say hello. Wonderful... It wasn't that he didn't like Belle, he just knew she was one of the girls Min had in mind for him, "Hey, Belle." He turned and gave a kind smile, "How've you been?" Damon asked politely. Always a gentleman, never rude or cocky... unless the situation clearly called for it, and this one obviously didn't call for any type of rude behavior on his part.

Belle gave him a kind smile back but she knew it was fake. Belle appreciated him being polite since she heard parts of the conversation. She did not want to be rude either. "I have been good, i was actually on my way to explore the grounds for a bit and walk in the snow. But then i saw you guys and i thought i should say Hello. I hope i did not intrude on anything. How have you been guys?"

Damon shook his head, "Not intruding at all. Min and I are just arguing on her pushing me into a social life and finding a new girlfriend because my ex wasn't a good fit... That kind of thing." He gave a smaller smile as she asked how they'd been, "Not that great personally... But yourself?"

Belle nodded and said, "Well all that stuff comes with time. Forcing it to happen will delay you in finding the perfect girl for you. Nothing should be forced. We should not live in the past." She just repeated the advice her best friend back home said to her. It felt good for her to hear it again.
Belle sat down next to Damon and half smiled. "Well i am sure things will get better. I have been alright actually. I am loving the holiday season feeling and not really focusing on my work to be honest." She gave Damon a little wink since she is the hufflepuff prefect and she should be the most focused. Lately her brain has been hazy and she is always caught up in her thoughts.

Damon smiled, "At least someone understands what I'm not just jumping into another relationship."
"I'm sure it will, I've been trying to make things seem better now that I'm stuck here." He looked down at Minerva, "And yes, that does mean Ari said she wants me to stay."

Belle nodded and understood why Damon would not wanna jump into a relationship. "Plus you do not want the girl to be a rebound because then it will makes things worse. It happened to my best friend actually. She felt like dirt after she found out. "Well being stuck here at Hogwarts does not mean a bad thing." Belle took his hand and was starting to say, "Come on let's have a snowball fight. As a friend now, i encourage you to have a snowball fight with Minnie and I, right Minnie? Let's have some fun! I do not like to see people moping around." She smiled at Damon to know she was serious.

"Exactly, because when you jump back it's not because you care about the new person the same way, it's because you want to move on from the old one." Damon had tried it once, it hadn't gone well. He wasn't over Taylor and he tried to jump into another relationship. With Minerva, actually... Clearly it hadn't effected their friendship, though it did dent it for a while. He gently pulled his hand back when she tried to grab it, but stood up with a small nod, "Fun fact about myself," Damon looked down at her with a kind smile, "I need a little bit of time before people can actually touch me... It's not to be rude, but for as long as I can remember when someone I don't know even brushes me, I get weird cringes everywhere. But it does sound fun."