Thinking

"Then it is settled. I'll bring you a corsage. What color is your dress, if you don't mind me asking." He smiled at Katerina's evident nervousness. He never realised it before, but when Katerina blushed, she looked prettier than she already was.
 
Katerina smiled. "Okay," she said, shyly. "Um, my dress is red." She desperately hoped her dress would look nice - she thought it looked wonderful when she first tried it on, but all the Hogwarts girls she had seen looked so beautiful, and probably had such wonderful dresses, that her simple red dress would probably look boring in comparison. It doesn't matter, she thought, smiling serenely. At least I actually have a partner! I'm going to the ball with Yvan!
 
"I will be wearing a white tux. Honestly had the longest argument with my mother about tuxes and dress robes. She's so old fashioned, she threatened me to buy dress robes for the Yule Ball. The only reason I managed to get a tux was because my father convinced her to leave me be." Yvan snorted at the memory of his mother forcing him into one of those awfully frilly robe things he liked to call dresses. "Red and white. Not a bad match."
 
Katerina laughed at the thought of Yvan having to wear frilly dress robes, quickly putting her hand to her mouth to stop herself. "I'm sorry, that was just a rather amusing thought," she quickly said, as justification. "I'm sure you would look much better in a tux. White and red...I do believe we shall be the most enviable couple at the ball. People will wish they looked as good as us," Katerina drawled, eyes sparkling.
 
"No don't apologise. I laugh when I think back to it now, but at the moment, it was a cosmic horror." He gave a soft laugh before speaking again. "I'm not so confident about me, but I am sure that you will indeed be the envy of every girl present." Yvan smiled deeply, secretly hoping he could get Katerina to blush again.
 
Katerina blushed, profusely. "Yvan, you flatter me," she mumbled, trying to return her cheeks to their usual pallor. "I highly doubt that," she added. "Perhaps I will be the envy of the other girls because of my good-looking partner." She bit her lip, wondering why she had just said that aloud. It was true, though, Yvan was extremely good-looking. In fact, she was amazed he hadn't already found a partner from either Hogwarts.
 
Yvan chuckled at the compliment. "As do you, flatter me," he said with a tilted head. "So what are your plans for Winter Break? I haven't figured out my plans yet, as I'm not sure if we're allowed to leave, or how if we are."
 
"I do believe we are meant to be held captive in this castle," Katerina said, seriously. The corner of her mouth twitched, with mirth. "I have no plans, to be honest. I suppose I will study, and maybe go and look at that Brightstone Village. I think we are allowed to go there during the break, at the very least..." she mused. She suspected her Christmas holidays would be fairly dull, but she didn't think she would be permitted to travel all the way back to Russia for a week or two. "And what about you? Assuming we can leave the castle, do you have anything planned?"
 
"I know my parents are hoping to have me back for Christmas, but in all I don't think I have much planned either. If you are right, and we do have to remain here for the holidays, then I'll probably just lag around. Like yourself. However, excluding the studying." Yvan was about to suggest they do something together, he and Katerina, before he decided against it as going to the Yule Ball together seemed overly suspicious just as it was. He did not need to put himself in such a situation whereby he found himself enjoying Katerina's company more than he already did. He was about half a step away from sabotaging his friendship with Nic.
 
Katerina shook her head. "Now, Yvan, you know we have major exams this year," she began, trying to sound stern, but giving up and smiling. "I would love to go home for Christmas, but it's so far away for such a short period of time that I suspect that my parents, brother and sister will have to make do with a letter instead. So lounging around here it is." She stared out towards the lake, pensive. She suspected she would probably end up scrapping the study and procrastinate instead for the holidays. That was what she usually did.
 
"To me, exams are only as big as we make them out to be. I much enjoy the comfort of being slightly above average. Nothing less, nothing more." His parents did not have too heavy expectations of him, only that he was to pass exams with a reasonably good grade. It saved him a load of stress, and his parents disappointment.
 
Katerina nodded, approvingly. "I like your attitude. I wish I could percieve exams in that manner." Katerina's father was almost a social climber - his father had made certain that he would go to Durmstrang, as he had done with his eldest daughter and only son. And as would happen to Anastasia. He had done fairly well at school - Katerina, Sergei and Anastasia also had to do well. Better, in fact, than he - Nikolai Ivanov - had done. "I do believe Father would have a heart attack if my marks dropped even in the slightest," she explained, a little sadly. However, Katerina liked succeeding. It made her feel as though she had a purpose.
 
"Your father must be a tough man then. Mine has always been the easygoing type, it's my mother who tends to get strict and enforces discipline when she believes we need it. I have two younger siblings. I do doubt you have met them before, but they also attend Durmstrang. First years the pair; they are twins see. They were annoying when together, but Yvan did miss their company. Their humor beat his by far; but of course, only when they were together.
 
"He is tough sometimes, but he is quite a nice person," Katerina said, jumping to the defence of her father. "My mother is more easygoing. She wanted me to go to Beauxbatons, as she did." She listened with interest as Yvan mentioned he had twin siblings in their first year at Durmstrang. "I have not had the pleasure of meeting them, but perhaps my brother has. He is also in his first year." She missed her brother - she was looking forward to seeing him more often at Durmstrang, and then she found out she was going to be spending the year in New Zealand.
 
"Well I'm glad you father was at least tough enough to have sent you to Durmstrang. If he hadn't then that would have been a shame. Beauxbatons? Really? I've heard rumors that there are Veela's there, or otherwise people with Veela ancestry." The thought had Yvan picturing stunning beautiful girls who walked with such grace and elegance that they appeared to glide along, their silks billowing about behind them. However that reverie was interrupted by the image of them bursting into angry looking creatures with long beaks and scaly wings. Snapping back to the present time, Yvan shuddered at the thought of ever angering a Veela.
 
Katerina smiled. "I am rather glad Father would not relent. I do quite like Durmstrang." She nodded as Yvan mentioned Veela girls. "I have heard about that - wow, now I am very glad I did not end up going to Beauxbatons. Veela girls sound extremely frightening." Katerina was certainly happier at Durmstrang - sure, the boys were all attractive, but the girls were not as stunning as the Beauxbatons girls, apparently. Katerina felt that she would not have fit in at Beauxbatons, not with the beautiful girls. She knew she wasn't ugly, she did take after her mother - but there were qualities of her father in her that meant she was by no means stunning. She shook her head, her hair falling across her face. It was really the education that meant she was happier at Durmstrang - she knew (from what her father had constantly reminded her) that she was getting a better magical education at Durmstrang.
 
"Now, now. No need to be modest, Katerina. I am sure that you would have fit in well over there." Gazing over the lake view, he smiled at the rippling waters and the gleam the reflected from the slowly falling sun. It appeared to be nearing evening now. "Apparently, there is a giant squid living in this lake. I wonder if that's true," Yvan thought aloud.
 
Katerina chuckled at Yvan's statement. She knew she was far better suited to Durmstrang than Beauxbatons, but she didn't feel the need to argue. Pushing her hair behind her ears, she stared out to the lake. It looked wonderful in the sunset - although not quite enticing enough to swim in. "So I've heard. I'm not quite game to check it out, though. It looks far too cold for me." She knew she sounded like a chicken, but it really did look freezing. "Perhaps we shall have to try and find it for ourselves before we leave Hogwarts," she said, before realising that she had included Yvan in that activity before even asking him. What on earth am I thinking? she thought, horrified.
 
"Indeed, we must. I wonder though, if it can be brought out with a summoning charm? That would be interesting to see," Yvan laughed at the thought of a large squid soaring out of the water, and moments later slapping into its summoner. He smiled that she had included him in on the activity, whether on purpose or accidentally, it amused him.
"Have you been up to the North Tower of the castle here at night? I haven't. Yet that is. Been meaning to check out the view from up there." Yvan was a fan of stargazing, though he hated to admit that aloud.
 
"I would like to see that!" Katerina laughed, an image of a squid flying out of the water appearing in her mind. "I would feel bad for the poor squid, though. I mean, I'm sure it wouldn't like its peace disrupted by being summoned out of the water." She smiled. She really wanted to find out if it was myth or truth.
"I haven't checked out the North Tower. I haven't been up to the castle much, except to the Great Hall and the Library. I'm terrified that I'm going to get lost," she explained, embarassed. "Although I have heard it has a lovely view. I ought to go and have a look."
 
"Certainly understand your concern. I almost got lost once. Violet Bellamy, a second year at this Hogwarts did point me in the right direction though. She is an interesting girl, I must say. The only one who did not jump at me as though I were a piece of meat. I'm sure you'd like her," Yvan said to Katerina. "Also had the pleasure of meeting the Nina Patrokov of Hogwarts Scotland. Thought she was overly nice." He hoped that mentioning the nice people he'd met would encourage Katerina to socialize more.
 
Katerina raised an eyebrow. "A girl who didn't jump at you? My, my. I think I like this girl already." She grinned. Most girls seemed to throw themselves at the attractive Durmstrang boys, even the little first and second years. A second year who seemed a little more level-headed was like a breath of fresh air. "I met Nina. I wasn't overly impressed with her, but she certainly seemed nice enough." She knew it probably sounded high-and-mighty, especially coming from someone who didn't know that many people, but she was just like that sometimes.
 
Yvan chuckled at Katerina's responses, he knew that she would approve of the type of girl who did not throw herself at any cute boy, and he could certainly see edges to some of Nina's flaws. Heck, she seemed a little narrow minded to him at times. But he did not voice his thoughts on this. "I should introduce you to her when I get the chance. But tell me Katerina, what have you done for fun around here?"
 
"You should," Katerina agreed, nodding seriously, but with a smile on her face. "Fun? What is that?" she asked, looking mock-horrified. "Honestly? I have not done much at all. I really just stay inside and study. But I do like to walk around the grounds, usually to find a place to read." She reddened, a little embarassed of how nerdy she sounded, even to herself. "What can one do for fun at a school?" she asked, challenging Yvan.
 
Yvan laughed gingerly at Katerina. "You could climb trees, terrify first years, flirt with people from different schools, bombard passersby with stones. I don't know. Let your imagination run wild! Though that last bit does appeal fun." He continued laughing, his voice ringing around them.
 
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