Studying Alone

[Lily Drage]

Lily needed to get out and study where she was not going to be distracted. Heading down to the library, she found a table in the back where she would have some peace and quiet. Kicking off her shoes, she sat down and folded her legs under her in the chair. Pulling out her books and her notes, she started to review her Arithmancy for the term, making sure she was caught up on her work before the term ended.

 

[Ashton Gordon IV]

Ashton was lurking in the library trying to find a book to help with advanced Charms work because his recent performance in the class left something to be desired. As he browsed the rows and shelves of books he spotted a familiar face sitting at a table in a rather secluded part of the library. Smiling, the Slytherin wandered over to where Lily was sitting and sat down opposite from her. "You hiding from someone all the way back here," he inquired jokingly.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily looked up as someone sat down, half expecting to see Sumner or Alex joining her at the table. She was surprised to see that Ashton had joined her. They had spoken in classes, but never outside of that -- except for when she yelled some things at him while he was beating on Sumner at the Halloween Feast. "Hey Ashton," she said, a slight smile on her face. "No, not hiding exactly. Just trying to get a bit of studying done. What are you doing back here?"

 

[Ashton Gordon IV]

"Actually looking for a book to help me study for Charms. That class really isn't my strong suit," he replied honestly, a little bit embarrassed that such a normally simple class was giving him such a hard time. Ashton rubbed the back of his neck absentmindedly before resting his hand on the table in front of him, fingers strumming rhythmically. "So do you have any big plans for Christmas?"

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily was surprised that Ashton was willing to admit he was having problems in a class. Usually he was rather full of himself, at least that is what Lily thought of him anyways. One on one like this, he wasn't so bad. "Well, actually, I am getting moved into my apartment. I am rather excited to go shopping and buy my furniture and stuff." She giggled, realizing just how girly she sounded. "You have any plans?"

 

[Ashton Gordon IV]

Ashton nodded when Lily said she was going to be purchasing furniture for her new apartment. "Sounds like a big time," he replied dryly as she asked him what he was doing. "Probably going home to spend the holidays with my family," Ashton said with a slight shrug. With the talk of the holidays a thought popped into his mind. "So how about this is our last Yule Ball ever? A little surreal right?"

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily nodded. "Yeah. It's kinda odd to think that it is the last one." She flipped a few pages quickly, then looked at him again. "I just hope that this one is less eventful than Halloween." She wasn't planning on going, so that would be one way of making it easier on everyone. Blake will have no reason to be mad at her and Sumner will not need to defend her honor. No fighting would be a good thing.

 

[Ashton Gordon IV]

A sheepish grin crossed Ashton's face when the Ravenclaw girl mentioned something about the Yule Ball being less eventful than the Halloween Feast. "Should be as long as everyone keeps their hands to themselves...or their fists rather," he said with a light chuckle, a smirk playing on his lips. "So, you going with that douche bag--I mean friend of yours? Sumpter or something," he asked nonchalantly.

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily picked up her quill and fiddled with it. "Sumner? No, he and I are not going together to the Ball. I, uh, am actually not planning on going at all. Figure its safer for everyone that way. No reasons for anyone to start fighting like last time." She felt a bit odd, admitting to Ashton that she was not going to go. It wasn't that a few younger boys hadn't asked her, but that she was basically trying to avoid confrontation with Blake.

 

[Ashton Gordon IV]

"Yeah I wasn't really planning on going either. Getting all decked out in some fancy threads isn't really my cup of tea," he stated smoothly, running his hand through his hair. It seemed odd to him that Lily wouldn't want to attend her final Yule Ball, it always seemed like more of a girly night to him anyways. An idea popped into his head when he thought how crappy it would be for Lily to miss the dance just because she was afraid that there would be another outbreak of fighting. As far as he knew Blake wasn't going to the ball and he didn't think that his bud would mind him going with the Ravenclaw girl simply as friends. "You know you really shouldn't miss your last big hoorah just because us guys can't resist the urge to beat the poop out of each other," he started, tapping his finger against the wooden table, "If you'd like I'll even go out of my element and get all dolled up and let you escort me." Ashton had a cocky grin on his face and chuckled slightly under his breath and then said, "Fun night out...no strings attached. And if you're nice no bloodshed either."

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily cocked her head to the side and loooked at Ashton. He was right. Why should she be the one hiding out? It was her last Yule Ball. Blake had next year's when she was no longer in the school to have his last hoorah. "Promise me no bloodshed and I will consider allowing you to escort me to the ball." She smirked at him, then stuck her finger at his face. "And keep the funny business to a minimum."

 

[Ashton Gordon IV]

"No bloodshed and only a fraction amount of funny business...cross my heart," Ashton replied as he made a crossing motion over the left side of his chest. "So do we have a date?"

 

[Lily Drage]

Lily smiled. "Yeah, I think we do, Ashton." Then a thought dawned on her. She never bought a dress this summer. Silently, she hoped that someone would have something that she could wear that would look decent, or that one of her old dresses still fit. "This isn't going to get you into trouble with Blake, is it?" she asked cautiously.

 

[Ashton Gordon IV]

"Nah, I doubt it. I actually haven't seen him around much lately. We keep missing each other somehow so pretty much the only time we are in the same room is when we sleep," Ashton replied with a shrug as he stood and looked at her. "So we're on for the Yule Ball then. You are definitely one very lucky girl...the demand for my presence is truly overwhelming," he stated in a cocky tone with a lopsided grin on his face. "I'll let you get back to doing what you were doing and I'm going to make one more attempt at finding that book. Catch you later Lily," he added with a slight wave of his hand as he walked away and back to his original task.

 

[Lily Drage]

"Yeah, we are. Definately," Lily replied with a smile. She gave a small wave as he headed back to the shelves to look for his book. Turning to her books, she tried to concentrate on the numbers before her. Soon she realized that was a wasted effort. Packing things up, she headed back to the dorm to figure out what to wear. She only had a day to come up with something that would turn a few heads, some very specific heads.