Festivities

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme Fergusson had asked Maya to the Yuleball mid-way through the term, and it was crazy to him that it was finally here. She had said yes and while they were going just as friends, Graeme was still planning on making sure that she had a good time. It had been in part because Maya had been having a trickier time that Graeme had asked her, and now was intent on showing her some fun. So, he had gotten himself ready for this day in the simplest way. he'd spent the vast majority of the day lazing around the dorm room. Reading up on things, and maybe being a little annoyed that he would unable to go back home for the holidays, but really he was just excited to be able to spend time with a friend and have a little party. That was the best thing about this. He was able to spend time with his friend and have a little bit of fun. When it was finally time, Graeme got himself together and then started to get ready. It really didn't take too long. Since he didn't have much to get ready. After showering, Graeme ran a brush quickly through his hair and then put on his kilt.

Graeme knew that he'd be one of the few who would wear a kilt at a thing like this, but it was a formal event, and for Graeme a formal event nine times out of ten meant that kilts could be worn. And since his kilt was in New Zealand with him, he was taking it up and putting it on. Which was easy. He was obvious not a true scots man with keeping his underwear on, but it wasn't like he was interested in accidentally flashing the whole school, no one here would ever really know. So it was better this way. He smiled to himself as he was finally ready and then left the dorm room. Heading straight for the Great Hall. He was sure that meeting in the Hufflepuff common room would've been easier, but waiting in the Great hall, really was just as nice. Since it was always done up so nicely. Graeme reached the great hall in no time at all, it was closer than he'd thought and really hadn't taken him long at all. Graeme was proudly sporting his kilt, which had the clan fergusson tartan, his family's tartan. Even if he didn't know his father's family, he at least knew the clan tartan. Graeme stood at an empty table just inside the Great Hall, waiting to see if he could spot Maya.
​

 

[Maya Fergusson]

The day of the Yule ball had arrived and though Maya had been feeling a little under the weather since her return from home, she was feeling much better today and even no longer looked sick, which was just great. She was pale enough naturally without having to be ghostly white when she was ill. It was no fun at all and she didn't want to be sneezing and puking on everyone at the ball. That would ruin it for everyone. Maya always managed to develop a cold for the first couple of days upon her return to New Zealand and home, because the difference in weather was quite substantial. Still, Maya enjoyed aspects of both places and was lately finding it difficult to choose between them, especially after what her father had revealed to her. She had all sorts of mixed emotions about what he had said and so to be honest, she had not spoken two words to him after their big fight. She'd spent the rest of the week in her room, or cooking for her brothers and didn't even bother to try and contain her absolute horror and disgust when her father offered for her to meet this new woman. Honestly, Maya felt betrayed and she felt like her father was dishonouring her mother's memory, after all, her mother had only been gone three years and he was already with another woman? Maya just felt like he was doing everything wrong.

However, today wasn't about that and she was in a much better mood having returned to New Zealand. It was the first time she had ever felt that way, as she was usually sad to leave and often stayed home for as long as possible, but unfortunately, this time, things had been very different and she'd left at first opportunity. Attending the Yule ball was something she had been looking forward too since Graeme had first asked her. She loved a good party and the Yule ball always seemed to provide so she couldn't wait. She'd started getting ready hours ago, mostly because she didn't want to get dirty or see the Great hall before the Yule ball and so she realised it was a good way to keep out of trouble. Most girls took ages to get ready for the silliest reason, Maya had mostly just been playing around with her hair or trying on different hairpins, but now was the time to actually get ready. She'd had her dress picked out since September, mostly because she had intended on going with or without someone else and so she'd really needed a dress. She didn't want to show up in a skirt and jacket again, though still, the dress she had chosen wasn't all that formal either. It was a step in the right direction though. She had straightened her hair today, so it was mostly just sitting in a bun behind her head. But she had a lovely little silver butterfly clip at the back to hold it in place, because she loved butterflies.

Finally finishing with her outfit and adding some jewellery just for a splash of colour, Maya exited the common room and made her way down to the great hall. She was a little late, as she had actually taken longer then she expected to be fully ready for the Yule ball and she now realised why girls actually took so long, however now that she was conscious of it, she would be able to try a little harder to make sure she was faster. Maybe have everything ready before hand. Reaching the Great hall, Maya marvelled at the design and features of the room. It looked different every year it seemed because this was all different from last year, but it was all very wonderful and Maya loved it. She quickly spotted Graeme, though she was confused by his attire and made her way over to her friend. "Graeme! Sorry I'm a little late, did you wait long?" She certainly hoped not. Though, what was he wearing, she had seen it in movies before she thought, it was similar to the skirt thing that Merida's dad had worn in the movie Brave. Was it the same? They were from the same country, perhaps it was a cultural thing. In any case Maya liked it, whatever it was.
​

Sorry for the length!

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme didn't mind waiting. In the back of his mind he was sure that he had been early, and that was simply it. He wasn't however sure about why it would take so long for anyone to get ready, but who was Graeme to judge. His mind was at ease, he was watching all the different people. Who were dancing away, eating and drinking. Laughing and having a good time. It was funny how large this school was. He remembered the christmas parties at his old school. Where they would have an afternoon off, and they'd eat christmas dinner and play games. It was done in school uniform and there wasn't much in the way of partners. The school wasn't big enough to really need a ball of any kind. Aside from it's size the yuleball and halloween celebrations at Hogwarts had surprised him a lot. He hadn't expected them to be quite on the scale that they were. He hadn't ever expected to need his kilt at a school event other than perhaps the graduation, where he was actually sure that he wouldn't be allowed to wear his kilt. But, he already had plans to ignore such rules. He glanced down at it, and smiled. It was a familiar style and material, and though he'd likely grow out of this kilt, he would still hold on to it. Since it was more than just a skirt, it was a kilt. He did notice that he was the only boy in this entire hall wearing such a thing, and he was sure that a lot of these people didn't even seem to know what it was.

Graeme didn't mind that people didn't know, he hadn't realised that halloween meant so much to people he. To him it had just been this american thing. They celebrated it, and Skye was supposedly pretty haunted but he didn't know. It wasn't a big celebration. He was lost in his thoughts to only be broken out of them by a voice. He glanced at the voice, and saw that it was Maya, who was apologising. He didn't really know how long he had been waiting, but nor did that fact matter to him. This was all fine. He liked it. "That's alright Maya. I didnae mind" he told her with a smile, he smiled at her, and then he noticed what she was wearing. He couldn't help but be impressed and sort of surprised by how pretty she looked. "You look," he stopped, unsure of what to say, they were just friends after all, "You look very nice tonight Maya" he told her with a smile. "Now, that you're here, you care fae a dance?" he extended a hand to her, while putting down his drink. He was ready to get this night started, and ready to spend some quality time having fun with Maya. And he unlike a lot of others had a lot more freedom to move in his kilt. "I've no really danced in a while, but, I'm sure I'll pick it up"
​

 

[Maya Fergusson]

Maya grinned at Graeme. Sometimes she really had to listen in order to hear what he was saying, but it wasn't too bad and she usually just got the jist of what he was saying anyway. Not that she would tell him that, it would be rude and anyway, the more time she spent with him, the easier it would get. She knew this, because she understood him better now then she had the first time they had met, so really, it proved that it got easier with patience and constant work. "Oh, good! I'm glad!" She did not rightly know why she had taken so long, after all she didn't understand what made these people take so long, but girls thought it necessary to make their dates wait. In honesty, Maya thought that it was rather a selfish thing, something that perhaps tried to make the partner wait on the girl, prove a fealty of some sort. Whatever the idea behind it, Maya now believe that was a silly tradition and decided that from here on out, she would make a conscious effort to not be late, not to anything. Maya smiled with delight when Graeme proceeded to tell her that she looked pretty. At least that was what she thought he said. She looked nice at least, which was just as good. This was the type of occasion to look nice after all. "Thankyou, Graeme, you look very nice too, that skirt-thing, suits you." She felt kind of embarrassed at not knowing the proper name, but she had no idea what it was, just that is wasn't like any skirt she'd seen before. Her cheeks reddened slightly, showcasing her embarrassment and she shook her head. "I don't know the name, I'm sorry." She hoped he'd not mentioned it in passing at some point, it would seem as if she had not been listening and that was rude.

Graeme soon asked if Maya would be up fora dance. She took an unneeded second to think about it before placing her hand in his. She loved dancing, that was not secret. Who didn't like dancing, every girl in her class was in the dance club, though she wasn't particularly good at it, she really enjoyed it. She twirled her fingers in her hair subconsciously, something she did when she was happy and grinned. "Dancing is easy! You'll be fine. It's all about the freedom." She tugged on Graeme's hand as she headed towards the middle of the room where some of the others had already started dancing. She didn't know this song, but it had a nice beat and that was all that mattered. Despite the fact that dancing was not really Maya's strong point, she knew that she would enjoy it, because it was hard not to enjoy something that was free and easy. Just bopping around and swaying in time with the music made her forget about the crappy week she'd had and that was as good an excuse as any to be here. To cheer up and forget the troubles she had left at the door. She didn't need to worry right now and so she didn't intend too. "Thanks for inviting me, Graeme, I appreciate it." Maya couldn't think of anywhere else she would rather be right now and that was definitely saying something. She could see some of her various friends around the room and that hyper boy from Slytherin as well, she tended to stay away from that one.
​

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme returned the smile to her, it never really occurred to him to speak louder just so that she might be able to hear him better. It was loud that was true, and as she spoke he had to strain to hear her, but he thought he was perfectly loud. He thought that she looked very nice, but he wasn't exactly very good at expressing it. He had tried, but he felt like it sounded forced, like he had to say such a thing, rather than it being something that he actually wanted to say. His smiled grew however at her question, referring to his kilt as a skirt. He shook his head, and laughed lightly, he had thought about people not knowing what it was, but it hadn't really feature in his mind. He gave a small smile as he looked down at it. "It's a kilt, traditional formal wear for Scottish people" he motioned to his Kilt, he knew that he was not in Scotland and he stood out, but it wasn't a big deal. "If this was Hogwarts Scotland you'd see a lot more kilts" he told her with a bright smile, "The tartan is my families tartan, Clan Fergusson" He finished looking back up at her with a smile that said that he actually really enjoyed talking about it. It was nice to be able to talk about something like that. He enjoyed it, mostly since he didn't get to. It was just the way things were being so far from home, where his old traditions were not the norm.

Thankfully, it was just time for dancing, and while he knew that dancing wasn't his best trait, that at the very least if they were having fun, that was more than enough for him. he didn't care for much standing around, since this was a party. He smiled at her assurances about dancing. She reassured him in just the right way, and then he allowed himself to be tugged to the middle of the dance floor. Graeme watched as Maya started dancing, before just almost mimicking what she was doing. He wasn't very fluid in his motions, but it was good and easy to start having fun. He didn't find it difficult to find himself smiling along with her. Find himself enjoying the company and really enjoying himself. He looked at her as she spoke, smiling slightly at her words. he didn't really think she needed to thank him for inviting her. It was the nice thing to do, they were friends and friends had fun. Which was the entire idea. Graeme just grinned happily at her. "Nae need tae thank me Maya" he shouted, since it would be the only she might be able to hear him over all this music and noise. He continued to dance with her, smiling and enjoying himself. it was easy to have fun, it was easy to forget worries and just have a blast with a girl. It didn't require thinking about school or grades, or about home. It was all about leaving the troubles at the door and letting loose. "I'm glad you said yes" he told her when the song died down, and the new song was still quiet. "Cannae imagine I'd have this much fun alone"
​

 

[Maya Fergusson]

Maya placed her hands together and held them to her chest as she listened to Graeme explain what he was wearing. She thought it had been a cultural thing, because it made a lot of sense, but what would she know about Scotland? Graeme was the first person she knew from there and it wasn't like she had ever been there, but it was all information she was definitely going to retain. Whoever said learning was boring was dead wrong, because it was some of the most interesting ways of getting new information. Learning like this was more fun then out of a book, she was learning that lesson very quickly. It seemed she had found her niche and she was definitely going to run with it. She was burning with all kinds of questions about the kilt. A very pretty name, she thought. Kilt. It just sorted of rolled. There was a word she couldn't possibly get tired of saying. "Kilt. That is a really fun name to say, kilt, kilt, kilt, kilt. " There were so many more ways she could say it, but she figured there was plenty of time for that later. She was so ready to just dive head first into this ball, with everything she had. She had enjoyed the short family history lesson, but now she was focussed on the music, she had other things she had to do first, before she could worry about the kilt. Things like dancing.

Dancing was always the most fun anyone could have at any party. Most definitely. As a twelve year old, Maya made it her personal mission to make sure she had plenty of space to sway and was wholeheartedly ignoring whatever the older students were doing. She didn't get it, she didn't understand it, she didn't like it, she didn't need it, she was quite happy with her eyes closed just listening to the music. Music was good. Swaying was better. Maya hadn't a clue about how to dance with another person. Dancing with her father was one thing, she stood on his toes, but she couldn't stand on Graeme's toes, he wasn't much bigger then she was, so swaying and jumping and being a floppy jumble of jiggling goo was quite fine with her. Somewhere at the back of her mind she one day hoped that her dancing skills would improve, but, well, she didn't much care about that right now. "Maybe not, but still!" She may not have needed to thank him, but he had practically given her something to think about that wasn't her father and his lady friend, for her entire visit home. It had definitely made her happy and that was the important part, but she wasn't thinking about her father right now, he mattered very little. Maya jumped around more as the song came to an end and another started up immediately, though its intro was much softer. At Graeme's mention of not enjoying this alone, Maya stopped spinning and opened her eyes again, her smile wide in agreement. "Definitely not. As much fun as your company is, i think dancing and music and parties are more enjoyable when shared!" Maya's fun loving nature was only ever present lately. Being in Hogwarts and away from her family was returning her to her childish ways. After all, after her mother died, she'd had to grow up extremely fast. Which made perfect sense and she wasn't blaming her father, but being away was good for her. Whether they realised it or not.

The song got louder again and Maya stepped towards Graeme a little and leaned towards his ear so that he could hear her over the music that seemed to be charmed to blast into their eardrums with little to no concern over their deafness. "I've always loved a good party. I used to hold proper little tea parties when I was little and I invited all my toys!" She stepped away and grinned before twisting around to the music again. She stopped after a second though, because whatever this song was, she wasn't a fan. She missed her muggle music really. This new world stuff was kind of weird and she didn't recognise any of the instruments at all.
​

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

Graeme couldn't help but grin happily at her reaction to him telling her what it was. He liked the fact that she seemed actually interested in what it was. All too easily she could've just decided that it wasn't interesting enough for her to know, and he would've just assumed that Maya had already known. Graeme smiled as she said it was fun to say, letting her say it a few times over. Almost as if she was practicing a spell of some sort. Not that she was. He liked the word Kilt too. It was a good word, and it was the kind of word that couldn't really be mistake for something else in the context. It was something that made him stand out. He wasn't like the rest of them here at Hogwarts. he was likely to be the only one wearing a kilt. But, it didn't bother him. "Yeah people wear them at weddings, graduations and scotland games" he told her brightly, though really a person could wear a kilt at any time, and a bagpipes player was always to wear one, he'd rarely seen any without, but for most it was on those occasions rather than any others that they were supposed to be worn. He smiled happily at her. Maya was a good friend. He couldn't help but be glad that he'd asked her to the Yuleball. Coming alone would not have been as nice or as fun as it could be. He walked to the dance floor with her, and just started to dance. He was not very good, but he danced regardless, he allowed himself to sway to the music, and was careful for obvious reasons when jumping up and down. He smiled happily, now this was the way to have fun. It didn't matter that others were dancing a little more intimately, they were good dancing as friends should.

Graeme shook his head at her, he really didn't mind and he felt like it should be him thanking her for saying yes. They were here now, because she had said yes. If she hadn't then, Graeme was sure that he would be having a very different evening. One that was not filled with smiling or much enjoyment, most likely it would just be filled with food. He smiled happily at her, as the song came to an end and a new one started up. It was much slower, and he noticed that Maya had stopped spinning. Graeme wasn't quite sure what to do. just continued in part with mimicking her. It seemed easier, simpler really. He was glad that she agreed with him about not enjoying it alone. Sure, it wasn't awful alone, but it was always better with someone else. It was easier. It made the time go quicker and you didn't feel as lost as you might with someone. "I agree wholeheartedly." Graeme nodded in agreement. He didn't often get to have this kind of fun. Graeme was very laid back, he didn't like stressing about things, but he didn't often have a laugh either. It was just how things were. He was a little startled when she was suddenly at his ear so that he could hear what she was saying. He stopped dancing and just listened to what was she was saying. "I'm sure you through the best tea parties. The best in all Australia" he said back, shouting a little. He didn't have that, he hadn't had that kind of thing growing up. It had just not been something him or his friends had done. And not because they were guys. Graeme just didn't have that many toys to invite. "I didnae have that growing up. But I used tae go the fairy pools, and pretend tae have little parties wae the fairies," he leaned in to say this to her, laughing at the admission, "Though, none of the fairies ever came"
​

Mehh, this could be better, sorry.

 

[Maya Fergusson]

Maya nodded as Graeme told her that people, Scots, tended to where them in formal or special social occasions. That made a lot of sense to her. Like dressing up. Some of her cousins had to wear special clothes and things when they went to gatherings. She wasn't allowed, because she was too young, and a girl, most of the ceremonies were for boys, but she had been allowed to attend one such ceremony once, she had thoroughly enjoyed it too, though she had opted out of her traditional dress code. It may have been her heritage, but she definitely preferred her lovely cotton clothes. Her brothers however, they went nuts for it. "Does that mean you'll wear a Kilt at your Graduation?" She asked, more as a thought then as an actual question, but it was quite open to be answered. Now Maya was curious and a curious Maya was a questioning Maya. When she was on a roll, there was really no stopping her. She was extremely talkative at times and it had definitely gotten her into all sorts of trouble back when she was still attending muggle schools. Her teachers thought it was annoying, her father found it endearing. Either way though, she was still very talkative, no matter how it was looked at. Maya inspected the attire more, staring at the patterns and other such things. She had an eye for patterns, unless it involved dancing, for which she was totally inept. "Well, I think it is lovely! I think you should definitely wear it on Graduation, it would be so cute!"

When Graeme agreed with her, in regards to her comment about fun, Maya was glad. She definitely thought that social events such as these simply had to be shared and people thinking otherwise had to be boring people. After all, who would want to attend a party that only contained themselves? That would be horrifying, surely. Although, perhaps if the person was really good company they could keep themselves entertained. Maya failed to see why anyone would want to be alone however, when there were people all around. Maya laughed and twirled her hair. "At least the best in Alice!" Alice Springs was a pretty small community for such a big place. She loved her home very much, but to be honest, the suffocation of everyone knowing everyone was surreal. Still, she couldn't blame them for being friendly. Friendly people were great! However, the music died down slightly, at least enough for Maya and Graeme to have a proper conversation without shouting. Maya was momentarily sad at the thought that Graeme didn't have any toys growing up, but was relieved at his mention of fairies. Maya loved fairies, who didn't? The music started to get loud again, so Maya made sure she was standing close enough to his ear to be heard. "I just love fairies! I've always wanted to meet one, but I guess they are all too shy. After all, i am so much bigger then they are!" Maya wasn't sure whether or not she still believed in fairies, but she supposed there was no harm in assuming their existence until she was proven definitively in one direction or another. However she did not yet know anyone with that kind of authority. Unicorns existed, who was she to say that fairies didn't. It hadn't occurred to her to ask someone, or maybe look up their existence. "They are so pretty!"
​

 

[Graeme Fergusson]

At the posed question by Maya, Graeme laughed a little and then shrugged. He didn't know yet if he would be able to. He didn't know the dress code for the graduation, if it mattered at all that he wasn't in the full uniform, since he'd wear the robe and the house tie and everything on top would they really mind the kilt. He didn't know, and he had a while to go until it was something he needed to find out. Happily Graeme just shrugged at her, "I don't know yet, maybe, it's no something I need tae decide just yet" he told her, he knew it was likely to happen but it was pretty early to be thinking about such things. He knew eventually he would have to, but for now he was good with pretending that he didn't have to. He smiled at her words about how he should. He liked that at least Maya didn't mind it, and in fact actually wanted him to wear it. That was some pretty nice encouragement. Happily Graeme smiled at his friend. He liked that Maya was so accepting of it. That it didn't in the slightest appear to bother her, not like it might've bothered others. After all most would just see it as a guy wearing a skirt and not as what it was. Which was a good thing. It felt better being able to explain it to her. He liked all the questions, he'd never had to talk about kilts in this way, since whenever he'd worn one back home, everyone else just knew what it was and what it was for. This was his first situation where no one would know. It felt pretty good.

As Maya said she was at least the best in Alice, he remembered that being where she was from. And really Graeme didn't doubt that she was the best in all of Alice. He was sure he was the best in all Australia, but that much he couldn't be as assertive of. Graeme smiled at her, he had lived in the middle of nowhere, he hadn't had that many toys to sort of have a tea party, it was such a trek to get decent toys, and delivery was pretty hard too, that Graeme just didn't. That and the fact that him and his mother hadn't always had the money to spend on toys, so Graeme had never had that many. He had made his own fun, constantly going outside or reading. He had before hogwarts been a much bigger reader. He read a lot less now because he had a lot more to do. The only time the limited toys back home had been frustrating were during the storms, and the fact he wasn't really able to go out and enjoy himself which he did a lot of the rest of the time. But, that wasn't something he had to deal with now. Graeme smiled at her reaction to the fairies which made him smile. It had been a lot of fun doing all of that. He hadn't really had parties in the same way perhaps she was thinking, but it was something close to it. He smiled happily at her, he loved fairies too. "They are amazing" he had never seen a fairy but he hoped with care of magical creatures he would one day. "You are an amazing dancer Maya" he said smiling brightly at her, "You want to dance some more or go get a drink of something? Something to eat?"
​