Idle Chatter

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron had been taking his prefect duties extremely seriously. The newly found power and responsibility had made him less reckless and more mature, much to the disappointment of his best friend Lucas. The two had the most fun adventures when they were a little bit younger and they had got into a lot of mischief that Aaron couldn't do anymore which he missed dearly. On the way to start his prefect duties he slowly walked down the second floor corridor to admire his favourite portraits. There was a particularly amusing one featuring drunk monks that he always liked to watch. He laughed out loud when one of them fell off the stool he was sitting on and shook his head at the silliness.

 

[Anabelle Williams]

Anabelle had enjoyed her break back home. Though she felt like she was constantly under scrutiny, there was nothing like sleeping in your own room, in your own bed, without four other girls around you. She didn't have to fight anyone for the bathroom, and she was able to visit her sisters. Being back at school meant she could relax a bit more, but she still got up earlier than the other girls so she could get ready first. Anabelle had already been given far too much homework for the first week back at school, but she supposed it was because of their OWLs coming up. The Slytherin wasn't too confident with how she was going to do, so she had planned some time to go and study and do her homework properly. Slowly making her way up to the library to get it all done, Anabelle was jolted out of her thoughts by a laugh in the otherwise quiet corridor. She looked up and realized she was passing close by someone in her year...Aaron, she thought. Anabelle paused near him and glanced at what he was staring at, a smile growing on her face at the silly portrait. "They can be a bit daft, can't they." She stated.

 

[Aaron Walden]

While getting lost in the portrait, Aaron had not noticed that he was no longer alone in what was a deserted corridor only a few minutes earlier. He turned to look at the voice and was pleased to see that it was someone who he recognised, Anabelle, a girl in his year in Slytherin. He smiled at her and chuckled "they can be ridiculous" he nodded in agreement. "I do like watching them though. There are quite few good ones on the way up to the North Tower. Have you seen the Centaur and the Crup?" he asked her "It's so funny to see the Centaur get annoyed by it." Aaron shook his head once more and moved away from the portrait and walked over to Anabelle, he had a while to kill before having to perform his prefect duties. "What brings you down here?" he asked her while running his hand through his hair.

 

[Anabelle Williams]

Anabelle grinned in return, glad that he did seem to recognize her. It would have been horribly awkward if she acted like they knew each other and he hadn't a clue who she was. She shook her head when he asked if she had seen a specific portrait. "No, well, I might have on passing, but I can't think of it right now. I'll have to go have a look." She replied with a smile. On his question, Anabelle gave another small smile (and come to think of it, she hadn't smiled this much in awhile), before responding. "This is actually up for me." She laughed softly. She never really thought much about the differences in Common Rooms, but she supposed having to travel down from the Seventh Floor all the time must be tiring. "I'm headed to the library, believe it or not. Something about it being OWL year has me stressed." Anabelle replied, though her tone light-hearted. "And yourself? Oh - and congrats on Prefect by the way. I know it's already been a full semester, so I'm a bit late in the congratulations, but I'm hoping it's going well?"

 

[Jasmine Wolfe]

wrong account sorry!!

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron smiled at Anabelle's response "yeah, you should definitely look out for it next time you're up there. It's definitely worth the trip!" he smiled "I could probably show you sometime... if you wanted" he added, tentatively. He wasn't sure what made him feel so nervous around Anabelle but he couldn't stop that strange feeling in his stomach when she smiled. Aaron laughed a little when she mentioned having to walk up to the Library. He felt a little embarrassed that he didn't think about the Slytherin Common Room location but she didn't seem to be too bothered abut his comment. He smiled and nodded at her comment about the OWLS "I don't even want to think about them" he sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He wasn't particularly having the best of times in classes and tried everything he could to not think about the upcoming exams. "Although, I should probably take a trip to the Library at some point..." he thought aloud. Aaron was a little relieved when the subject was changed quite quickly "I'm just taking a slow walk down to the Great Hall, I have to oversee a few first years this break time" he replied before raising his eyebrows a little at Anabelle's comment "Thanks! It was very unexpected. After the things that Lucas and I had done I thought I would be the last person picked" he laughed. Aaron was truly shocked at being picked for Prefect but still incredibly grateful.

 

[Anabelle Williams]

When Aaron offered to show her the Portraits, she couldn't help but feel a tingle in her stomach. She hadn't felt tingles for anyone in a long time, and since Rory, had talked herself down so much, she was sure she wasn't going to allow herself to like anyone else again. Even Havoc with Dove proved to her what everyone should easily know; boys were stupid. Especially at that age. But the young Slytherin girl must have gotten over her fear of being attracted to someone, if her stomach had anything to say about it. Anabelle smiled in return. "I would like that very much." Dammit. She just couldn't help herself. He was cute and seemed friendly and nice, and everything that Rory wasn't. Perhaps that was okay.
Hearing that he wasn't that thrilled about OWLs either made her feel slightly better, though she didn't know anyone who would be excited about scary exams that determined their future. "Well, in return for showing me the Portraits, maybe I can show you where the library is? And we can study together?" She offered. Anabelle laughed at his response about being chosen as Prefect. "Maybe they were hoping that having all these responsibilities would make you see the error in your ways. Sharpen you up for Headboy or something." She teased.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron grinned in return when Anabelle agreed to his tour of the portraits. He was afraid she would think he was a bit silly, looking at portraits all day but he was pleased when she said that she would come along. Aaron was always the quietest one of his siblings, preferring to stay inside and keep himself to himself rather than being the centre of attention all the time like his other siblings. Where Maddie, Leila and Benji liked to go out and explore and be in the centre of all the action. Aaron preferred to be with a couple of his closest friends, on the sidelines, taking everything in.

He nodded at Anabelle's suggestion of studying together in return for the tour "yeah I would like that very much too" he smiled. "I think i'm going to need all the help I can get" he half joked, tentatively looking at the floor. Aaron wasn't very confident in his academic abilities so maybe studying with Anabelle was the best thing to do.

He shrugged his shoulders and laughed "maybe that was their thinking... it seems to have worked so far. Lucas and I haven't got into any trouble this year... yet" he smirked "somehow I don't think I'm much cut out for head boy." Maddie had always been the one with aspirations of Prefect and Head status, it had never really occurred to Aaron to want that responsibility but it was the situation he found himself in and he kind of liked it.

 

[Anabelle Williams]

Anabelle smiled when Aaron said he'd like to study together. She wanted to comfort him when he said he was going to need all the help, but she wasn't entirely sure what would be appropriate; yes they'd known of each other for awhile, but technically this was there first meeting, right? So she figured just a light hand on the shoulder, with a small smile. "Well, we can struggle through together." Anabelle wasn't the smartest no matter how hard she tried, and while she wanted to help, she had a feeling that studying with Aaron could do one of two ways; either she'd be determined to impress him and get way more smart, or she'd get very, very distracted by him and get no studying done. "It's a date." Anabelle said, before realizing what she had actually said, the smile disappearing from her face. "I mean, it's a, study - thing. We can study." She stumbled over her words, feeling her cheeks turn pink. What a fool!
Anabelle shook her head when he said he wasn't cut out for Head Boy. "I think you'd do a great job." True, she didn't really know him all that well yet, but he seemed lovely and her mind could currently only think good things of him. She struggled to find something else to talk about. She wanted to keep talking to him, though she knew he had to go soon. Grasping on random thoughts in her mind, Anabelle asked, "So, uh, are you going to the Valentines Dance, thing?" What a stupid question to ask after her study 'date' mistake. When did she become this tongue tied around boys?

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron watched as Anabelle placed her hand on his shoulder. His cheeks reddened a little as he smiled at her, he hadn't expected her to reach out to him but he liked it. "That sounds good to me" he laughed "two brains have to be better than one right?" Aaron's eyes widened when she mentioned the word 'date'. He began to get a sickening feeling in his stomach. He had ever been on a date before, what if she came to realise that she actually didn't like him? Self doubt plagued him but he tried to make it act like it hadn't bothered him. However, Anabelle seemed to be as mortified as he did which put him a little bit at ease. A date couldn't be that bad? Right? Lucas went on lots of dates and he loved them. He would definitely have to get Lucas' take on this. He wanted to go on a date more than anything with Anabelle but he was afraid that he would embarrass himself if they studied together due to his less than impressive academic abilities. He smiled at the Slytherin "a... study thing... yeah" he repeated, hoping that Anabelle didn't feel too embarrassed. If only he could pluck up the courage to ask her on a real date.

He smiled again when she spoke about the potential for Head Boy and shook his shoulders "I suppose we'll have to find out" he replied, not thinking much of his chances for Head Boy but he wasn't too concerned about it. "I'm not sure actually..." he said "I haven't been to a Valentines Dance for a good couple of years now. Are you going?" he asked her. He wasn't planning on attending but he definitely would if Anabelle was going.

 

[Anabelle Williams]

Anabelle grinned when Aaron agreed with them struggling through together. She was actually looking forward to studying with him so she knew she'd have to brush up on some of the tougher subjects so she wouldn't look like a fool in front of him. Apart from, she'd already blown that ship out of the water with her stupid 'date' slip up. Anabelle dropped her hand to her side, and tried to keep a smile on her face when Aaron repeated her words. She was being silly to think that he could like her, they'd only just met and people didn't fall for each other that quick, did they? Anabelle was confused, because she felt like she did really like him, but she didn't even know him that much. How did like and love even work?
Anabelle nodded her head in response to Aaron asking if she was going. "Yeah I am. You should go - they're fun." She replied, desperate to encourage him to go along. Perhaps there they could hang out some more and get to know each other a bit better.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron smiled at Anabelle when she said that she was going to the Valentines Dance. That settled it then, Aaron was going too. "Yeah, I think i'll go then, you've persuaded me. I mean, it would be good to see you again..." he said quickly looking from the Slytherin girl to the floor. He didn't want to presume that she actually wanted to see him again, maybe she didn't. Maybe she was only saying that he should go to be nice. He stuck his hand in his pockets in frustration, why was this so hard? Lucas never mentioned liking girls was this confusing.

 

[Anabelle Williams]

Ana grinned at Aaron when he said he'd go. He seemed really shy, and just as embarrassed at what he said as what she was by her slip up. Maybe he did like her? If she encouraged him then maybe he did. It was so confusing. Anabelle tried to conjure up the confidence and bravery she had when she asked Rory to the dance, but it wasn't manifesting as quickly as it had then. "Well...maybe you can save a dance for me then." She suggested with a small smile. "I'll see you there." Anabelle said, clutching her books tight to her chest so that her heart didn't explode out of it. She slowly started to walk away, not quite paying attention to where she was going, though a smile still on her face.

 

[Aaron Walden]

Aaron beamed when Ana suggested that they should dance together at the ball. He nodded enthusiastically at her suggestion "that sounds really good, I'd love to" he replied running his fingers through his hair, thinking about the dance and wondering what it would be like. "Right.. yeah" he mumbled as Anabelle started to walk away "see you there!" he called after her, suddenly snapping out of his thoughts. Aaron watched her as she walked away with the biggest smile on his face. He definitely didn't think anything like this would have happened to him today.

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