Open Pinched Punch

[Monty Pendleton]

In spite of the snow falling a few feet above his head, Monty was sweating. It probably hadn't helped that he'd decided to wear a cravat, but his royal blue waistcoat just didn't look right without one, and besides, he'd have been almost as hot without it. Anxiety was the real culprit. He took some slow, deep breaths and fixed his gaze on one of the baubles on the Christmas tree. He was sitting by himself at one of the round tables, but it was only a matter of time before somebody approached him for a chat. There was something about Christmas that made people... well, chatty. It was almost infectious. Sadly, Monty was immune. He wasn't even feeling very cheerful, which was unusual for him, Christmas being one of his favourite times of the year. He had too much on his mind.

Reaching blindly for his drink, he proceeded to knock over somebody else's. A pink stain spread quickly through the pale blue table cloth, and even more quickly through his cheeks. "Oh - sorry. Sorry," he said, though he had no idea who he was apologising to, or even if the drink's owner was in earshot. He cast his wand over the mess and stood the empty glass back upright. Now it looked as if he'd drunk somebody else's punch. Terrific. And there were still - he checked his pocket watch - two more hours until midnight.

 

[Aspen Faye]

Christmas definitely didn't have the same excitement as it used to. Aspen used to love celebrations, but without Ellington, it just wasn't the same. She still loved seeing the decorations and it was nice to spend it at the school, and see the children get dressed up and excited. So, Aspen found herself at the Yule Ball, though she was wearing a pants-suit, and not a dress. Pants-suits were fancy enough!
The Care of Magical Creatures Professor stood at a table, thoroughly enjoying the other Professor's dance, laughing as some kids tried to replicate it, before turning back to the table to drink from her cup, only to find it had been emptied. She looked around, seeing the Deputy Headmaster standing there, checking his pocket watch. "Thirsty, were you?" Aspen teased, without realizing that it might be rude to speak to her superior like that.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty spun around, his mouth forming the shapes of several responses before one finally came out. "No, no, I - I knocked it over. I'm so sorry," he said, turning redder still. "I'll get you another one. Er" - he glanced at the impenetrable crowd of students that had formed around the punch table - "in a minute. Have you opened one of the presents? I believe they are, technically, for the children, but nobody tried to stop me..."