the teenage queen and the loaded gun

It was Christmas indeed. The decorations would have drilled it into one's brain even if one wanted to deny it. Besides the cold Slytherin Dungeons, it seems as if most of Hogwarts had turned into one furry ball of mistletoes, candies, presents, and whatnots. It was the last day of the term, and Christmas was only a week away. Damien was going to spend the Christmas holidays in Hogwarts. It was a deliberate choice of his. Mother had requested his presence, but he refused to return her owls. He did not want to spend Christmas with muggles and just one pureblood witch. Damien realized that he had yet to ask Georgia about her Christmas plans. If she stayed, he would have a comforting companion. But he would not bet on it. He would most probably have to spend Christmas alone, and he would just have to get used to being alone. He was too dependent on people. Perhaps this would be a good time to learn to live without them. Still, a small part of him wished that Georgia would stay, but of course, he would never voice his wishes. This sort, anyway.

Feeling comfortable and proud in his Slytherin robes, Damien strolled, an activity he likes for it offers him a way to sort through his thoughts. He was making his way to the Owlery. A lot of people had clustered together along the way in various parts of Hogwarts Castle, all speaking of Christmas excitedly. Damien could not share their joy. His father had not insisted on his return to the d'Eath residence for Christmas either, and Damien felt a little jilted at that. He wanted to be wanted, and he wanted to matter. Perhaps if father had insisted, he would have been happy to oblige. But it seems like Lorcan d'Eath had his own Christmas plans too, seeing as Damien had not heard of plans from his other siblings. Apparently, Lorcan was heading to Europe with some women. Damien sighed, thinking of that one woman, or girl, that he believe would satisfy his heart. He was not like his father, although he wished he was. Then perhaps he would stop pining away. Damien began to wonder about Mira Anderson. Chiefly, it was about where she would go for Christmas. He amused himself with fantasies of kissing the older girl under a mistletoe. Such a disgusting muggle practice, but Damien could not help but entertain the feelings of delight he felt from imagining Mira and himself under it.

He wanted to get away from the clusters of people everywhere. Damien felt like a shadow against their colours and bright cheery smiles, and he felt resentful. He, however, did not want to admit that it was envy that made him feel this way. With a sulk on his face, Damien found himself already nearing the Owlery. He was glad that it seemed as if no one was there. Wrapping himself tighter in his robe, for the cold got to him, Damien climbed a couple of steps before sitting on one. As soon as he sat down, he took his bag off and threw it near himself.

When Mira was little her nanny used to say 'If you keep making that face it'll freeze that way!' And now, even though her face was not frozen the scowl that she had been wearing lately seemed just that endless. Elijah was an ass. Not that this was new news but the further confirmation still got her upset. A week or two ago the pair had hooked up again. Shortly after they had gotten into one of their giant fights over.. something. Then he had kissed her again as she was yelling, probably just to shut her up.  That was pretty much how their dysfunctional relationship worked. Mira didn't expect anything from him and in return he didn't expect anything from her. Only this time Mira had sort of been expecting something. An invitation. To a certain Yule ball that was happening this Christmas.

Clearly she was the last person Elijah Krum would ever invite. So instead of a romantic evening full of dancing Mira was heading home for the holidays to celebrate Christmas the worst way possible. The big boring family dinners weren't even that bad. It was the fact that their holiday celebrations were shared with the Krum family. And the empty chair where their son sat would be painfully visible the whole night, teasing Mira about where the owner was. And what girls he was sleeping with that weren't her. He was hers after all. They were literally breed for each other. 

Mira needed to escape the main school. It was too bright and joyful and.. Christmas-y. So with the excuse she needed to send a letter she headed up to the owlry. Mira DID have a letter, a Christmas card for her grandparents in Bulgaria thar she was planning to send at home. But now was as good a time as any. Mira turned the corner at the top of the tower and found that it had one other occupant. Damien D'Eath. The fellow Slythirin was a couple years behind her and seemed like a pretty nice kid. The two had had a few conversations in the common room or in the great hall when they sat near each other at a meal. He was cute in a boyish boy and Mira found him mildly amusing. Overall he was pretty much the person Mira would most want to run in to when she was trying to be alone. He probably wouldn't try to start a conversation. Mira walked across the owlry to the center table and waited for her owl to come down from his perch.

Damien felt sure that Merlin did exist, and that the old and famed wizard had decided to cheer the glums off his Christmas mood. And Merlin did so in the only possible way ... by sending him an angel. Well, Mira Anderson was not an angel, but she was to him. The uncountable times Damien needed to tear his eyes off this girl was starting to hurt his eyes. He did not want others to realize, although Georgia knew. Georgia knew everything. He told her everything. Now, though, the older Slytherin girl, in all her glory and shine, had just ... walked past him?

Surprised that he was not at least given some acknowledgement, Damien turned his body swiftly to look at where the girl had proceeded. She was quick. He was staring at his shoes, deep in thought, then he heard footsteps, felt his heart jump out of his chest, and then that face of an angel's disappeared. Damien was puzzled, and slightly offended. Of course the girl knew him. He had made efforts to make sure that she knew. Sure, he had heard about the arrangement between the Krums and the Andersons, but Damien still wanted to ... well, he just wanted to be her friend, it was the most that he could do.

The boy lifted himself from the step he was sitting on and began to walk up to the Owlery. Before he did so, he checked the grounds, as if expecting to see someone, or another boy, hopefully not Elijah. There was none. Damien could not believe his luck. Quickly, he stepped into the Owlery. As soon as he did, he stopped. Slowly, Damien leaned against the frame of the Owlery's entrance. Mira's face, despite almost always being the epitome of ice, betrayed some kind of sadness. Damien felt his heart squeeze inside of him. He wondered now if he should leave. She seemed to want to be on her own. Yet, he had selfish reasons that cared more for him than her. If Merlin gave him a moment alone with the girl, then he had to take it.

"Hey," Damien started, hoping it was not too loud to startle the girl, who seemed to have drowned in her own thoughts.