Cold Hearts Warming

[Edmund Westwick]

If you had asked just a couple of months ago, Edmund would never have foreseen his life taking this turn. Attending a dance would have shocked him enough, but attending one with his girlfriend was another matter all together. If he was honest with himself part of him had known early on in his friendship with Diana that his feelings for her ran in a romantic direction, but the fact of anyone, let alone someone as beautiful and funny as Diana, feeling the same way about him seemed almost an impossibility to Edmund. After a lifetime cultivating a demeanour designed to deter others from coming close, it was surprisingly nice, to be genuinely liked, to have someone want to spend time around him and enjoy his company. So although he felt clumsy and awkward next to her, Edmund couldn't wipe the unpracticed smile from his face as he accompanied his date to the dancefloor, hoping she didn't notice how sweaty his palms felt as he took her hand to dance. In an environment Edmund could never have imagined himself in before, he realised he was maybe the happiest he had ever been.

 

[Diana Hollis]

Diana had been happy to go to the yule ball with Edmund because going with an older boy certainly made her stand out in her year group. She had enjoyed his sense of humor, but her reasons for getting him to ask her had largely been selfish ones. But she had been surprised to find she actually really liked hanging out with him, something they had been doing more of in the weeks after the yule ball. Not too long ago, the two had officially started dating. While she had to admit the thrill of being one of the first in her year to have an actual boyfriend was great, that wasn't why she was so happy with him. She actually really liked him. She liked how he could be quiet for ages but say just the right thing at the right time. She liked his sense of style, the way he was so different from all other boys and didn't mind standing out. She liked the way he observed others, not missing a single detail. Diana just liked him, which made her almost giddy with excitement for the dance.

Things at the previous dance had been a little awkward, but now that they were more used to each other and used to the idea of being together, things went more smoothly. Diana had to admit the smile on his face was very cute, and she was glad he seemed to be enjoying himself already. It was a shame she was a bit taller than him in her heels, but she knew by now that things wouldn't be perfect. He would grow taller, and she knew they still looked amazing together. She walked with him to the dance floor and glanced at their hands as he took hers. She smiled and met his gaze as they started to dance. "Have you been practicing?" She asked him, unable to resist teasing him a little bit. "By yourself in your dormitory?" She had been about to mention his twin as a possible partner, but changed her mind at the last minute. To everyone else in the school, Theodore and Edmund were a pair. But she only really knew Edmund, and somehow the subject of the boy's twin always seemed to make things a little awkward. She wanted to focus on Edmund, so she didn't mention the boy's twin at all. "Let's make sure someone from the yearbook takes our picture later." She said with a small nod. Edmund definitely looked better than he had last time, and she wanted to remember this night.