Closed Seeking Connection

Ignatius wasn't nervous. He was far too important to be nervous - well, he used to be important, but that was another matter altogether. He faced bludgers weekly, taking a girl to the Yule Ball should be nothing. But he couldn't prevent his palms from sweating as he shifted on the spot. Sofi was nice, and he hoped to have a pleasant evening with her. She also looked uncomfortably like her sister, and he couldn't help compound on his nerves with the fear that if he said something wrong, she might get aggressive and violent in the way he imagined Morrie might. Even he, fortunately, was too wise to say that directly to her face. He instead focused on the corsage he'd put together from the greenhouses. It was a flower he'd grown himself, one of the first things he could actually say he put effort into making. He felt strangely pleased with it, even if it didn't look incredible. Of course, he had done it himself, so he wouldn't hear that it was less than perfect. Just like he definitely wasn't nervous.

Sofi enjoyed getting ready with the Heta girls that it had put her in a good mood for the ball. She was wearing a yellow summer dress to match the warm weather outside. However, perhaps not best suited for a winter themed Yule ball in hindsight. She shivered when she arrived, the snowy decorations making her feel cold even if the temperature wasn't actually cold. She hoped Ignatius would be there as she had turned over the idea he only invited her to the ball out of pity for catching the snitch before her, and not because he actually liked her. She had heard some of the Heta girls hadn’t arranged a date at all, and Sofi felt she might have preferred that. Anyway it was happening now, she smiled shyly when she spotted him and went over, "Hi" she said, "Thanks for the invite. How are you?"

There was a part of Ignatius that felt a little bad he caught the snitch before Sofi did. If it had been against Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, he wouldn't have felt bad at all, and his own desire to win mostly overrode any potential consideration for the feelings of others. Actually, the other seekers were mostly also pretty girls as well, so he might have felt bad in that sense. He did think Sofi was nice, though, and wanted to get to know her a little better. It helped to have someone to work with in his classes, too, now he had to actually try and put in more of an effort. "Hello," he greeted, his voice cracking a bit as he spoke. Definitely not nervous, he insisted to himself, clearing his throat. "Uh. Hello. I'm good. Not nervous. How are you? You look nice. Summery." He wished he'd asked his father for advice on this, but he wasn't exactly in the best position to give advice. And he couldn't ask his mother, because this was a man sort of issue to deal with.