Closed Work Hard, Play Hard

[Professor Noel Waldgrave]

Noel was ready for this new year and he would train hard and study hard. He had to make time for Minnie also but the fact they both studied hard and needed to train was helpfull in that way. Minnie knew how hard he wanted to become an auror and she was good to him. If there was something like perfection Minnie came close. Noel made his way to the pitch to train some he needed to focus and score some. The brown haired boy put the quaffle and his broom down and warmed up a bit. He was growing a lot and muscles were really showing. He was getting bigger and looked way more like Liam than ever. Although they were so different ofcourse. But Noel seemed to like some attention that girls gave to him as well, but there was only one girl for him ofcourse. He took his broom ready to mount it and start with training.​

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

The first thing Minnie needed to do was break up with Noel. She liked him, he was nice and he was a gentleman to her, but she couldn’t keep a boyfriend around. Her parents hadn’t really approved of him from the beginning, they’d tolerated it because Minnie had always promised it wasn’t deterring from her goals (her parents goals). But in their mind it had in the end when she’d not gotten the prefect position, a goal that they had wanted for her. With the fact that they were so annoyed with her and she was desperately trying to get in their good graces, she knew she had to break up with him. She knew she had to. Maybe if she did and she had a perfect year doing exactly as they told her, then it would make things okay again. She’d always be off her mother’s path for her, but she’d maybe get back enough that things would be easier. She didn’t know what she would do if her mother just never spoke to her again. She found Noel on the pitch and waved for him to come to her. She was quite tightly wound up, her expression almost a little teary. She didn’t really want to do this, but she had to. Maybe he could deal with them being friends - though Minnie wasn’t going to have much time for friends anymore. Not with the amount of work she was expecting herself to do. But she could say that if it helped. ​

 

[Professor Noel Waldgrave]

Noel was so focused on his training and preperations for classes that he almost forgot that he was chosen as prefect by Kingsley. He was so happy and his parents were so proud when they saw the badge. Just like Liam he was now an prefect as well, two children in the family well that gave a bit pressure for his sister Lovisa ofcourse and Liam teased Beaubelle with it that she never made it to one. He had worked hard for it and he figured in this position he could do a bit more to help others and protect people just like he wanted. Just when Noel wanted to begin he spotted Minnie waving at him. Noel smiled directly he was so curious if she had recieved the badge as well. He knew if one student deserved it, it would be her. But when he walked towards her with his broom in his hand he noticed she wasn't looking that happy at all. His expression changed directly and he threw the broom on the grass. '' Minnie..?'' He than said as he came closer and than took her hands. And looked at her worried. '' What is going on, my love? Are you sad?'' Noel than asked his girlfriend and wanted to hug her in case she needed it. Just hold her. ​

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie grew more nervous as he approached her, how was she supposed to say it, he was her first boyfriend and she had never had to break up with someone before, but she couldn't....she had to. He was nice and good but clearly had been a distraction, her parents had been right. She wasn't too surprised when he seemed to notice that she was upset, and when he took her hands, she left them there for a moment before pulling them away. Just as he said, my love. Minnie gave a little involuntary sob, she liked Noel. He had always been nice to her, he had been good with her, understanding, their date, their dancing, it had been so good, but she couldn't. She pulled her hands away and left them limply at her side. She met his gaze and knew she just had to do this. "Noel, it's...us...we need to break up," she managed to say, she held his gaze as she said it, but she remained visibly upset, tears pooled in her eyes but she was trying her best to stay composed. "I'm breaking up with you," ​

 

[Professor Noel Waldgrave]

Noel hold Minnie her hands tight and looked at her, what could be wrong? It wasn't that she wasn't chosen as prefect right? He had an idea how her parents would react if she wasn't. But he shook that thoughts away, that would not be true. It could not be. But than she seemed really upsad and he hoped she would talk to him. And pulled her hands away. He looked a bit confused, what was going on? Didn't she want him to help her? What was it. He looked at her with his big brown eyes and waited. But than the words came out of her mouth and Noel just froze. He noticed tears in her eyes while she said it, and again she told him what she did right now. Noel kept quiet for some time. He just.. Was this real? Was he living an nightmare? Everything went so good, he had everything in life he wanted but now.. the most important thing seemed to be gone and slipping away. '' You.. what?'' He than spoke, the words almost didn't came out of his mouth. Minnie seemed so sad, why did she chose for this. Noel had tons of questions. '' Minnie.. What's going on...?'' Noel than asked her and lost his balance a bit, he felt sick. Like his heart was broken in two. '' I.. don't get it.'' Noel than said. If this was an joke it was not funny, but the look of her face didn't seemed like it was an joke. Noel felt an tear in the corner of his eye, this hurted so much. And he needed an explanation.​

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie hated the silence that followed, she felt the explanation she didn't particularly want to give bubbling over, if he didn't know now, he would know soon enough. He was smart enough that he could put two and two together, but she owed him a little explanation..didn't she. She just couldn't say anything. His almost disbelief which followed, the question, the way he seemed to lose his balance. She wanted to help him, to take it back, but she couldn't. She let out another little sob, unable to stop, "I didn't.....I didn't get the prefect position....," she spoke quickly and as she said it, everything else seemed to follow, tears, little sobs, a light shaking, "You know what my parents are like, and they were so disappointed in me when I didn't get it. But maybe if I just work harder, then they won't be. But, that means I have to break up with you. You're a distraction Noel," She didn't say that her parents had blamed in because they had blamed just about everyone and everything in Minnie's life and every choice she had made. But the more she'd said, the more upset her voice had become and the more tears she having to hold back. "I'm sorry,"​

 

[Professor Noel Waldgrave]

Noel was in shock he just could not believe his ears and eyes. Minnie kept silent for an moment and Noel just didn't believed she didn't felt anything for him. The way they looked at eachother all the time and the fun they had, but also the serious moments were just magic. For Noel at least, perhaps not for her? He started to doubt himself a bit now. Minnie was sad, and he was also. And the tear in the corner of his eye he wiped away. And what he was afraid of, but also made things complex was the answer Minnie gave. She didn't made it to prefect? Noel didn't believed it, and felt anger for an moment, irritation. '' What?!'' He was not angry at her, but at the people who didn't gave her what she deserved. '' That's.. not possible? Minnie this must be an mistake?'' He than said to her soft, but was in shock. And the explanation she gave he almost could not hear, like she was far away from him and speaking softly, but he was lost in his thoughts. Her parents.. the expectations, she didn't want to break up it seemed, but she had to. From who? Distraction.. that was all? He felt more angry than sad now because of all.​

'' I'm sorry you didn't got the position.. if someone deserves it it's you. It's not fair.. Perhaps I can talk to someone... perhaps If I give up my position or something..'' Noel had to talk to her head of house, this was not how things supposed to be. He felt some hope in some way now he knew why she wanted to break up. He would not give up on her. But it was painfull still. '' Do you want to break up with me? Is that really what you want.. Minnie?'' Noel than asked the girl and looked at her, he wanted to hug her but it didn't felt right. He didn't knew what to do. ​

'' Can you look me in the eye, and say you don't love me anymore?'' Noel than asked the girl and looked her in the eye.​

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie couldn’t help but feel some relief at his anger, she didn’t have it in her to be angry but the decision, there were other things she had to worry about besides anger, but his, his helped her feel like being upset about it was fairly justified. It was giving her some relief but it helped nothing and changed nothing. This still needed to happened. ”Don’t Noel,” she couldn’t even congratulate him on his position, he had worked hard for it, deserved it. But, in all of this she needed to just get beyond in the conversation so she could leave and they could go their separate ways. She knew that this wouldn’t be easy but she was keen for it to be over. She nodded her head when he asked if that was what she wanted. It didn’t really matter if she wanted it, to her it had to happen. She needed to be able to show her parents that she took her education seriously and wouldn’t let herself be bogged down by boyfriends. ​

​

”Noel,” she spoke softly meeting his gaze with a teary expression. She didn’t want to have to say it, she wouldn’t mean it, but she had to do this regardless of how she felt. ”Don’t make this harder Noel,” she said to him, speaking quietly, ”It doesn’t matter how I feel, we have to break up,” she said to him. She wouldn’t say it, because she didn’t want to lie to him in this. She wasn’t sure what she felt for him was truly love but it might’ve gotten there, and she certainly knew she cared for Noel deeply. But it didn’t matter how she felt, her feelings didn’t matter, his feelings didn’t matter. She needed them to break up. ”Please, just say you accept that we’re broken up so I can go study,”​

 

[Professor Noel Waldgrave]

Noel looked at Minnie and he felt the tears in his eyes. It was hard, he tried to stay strong but he felt so sad. Like his heart was broken in two. ​

'' I.. just. It's not fair!'' He than said irritated. He was angry at the circumstances, he was sure if Minnie was an prefect they were still together. But he would not ask, he just knew. Minnie was sad he could see and he did not knew if he could hug her but he felt like an frozen statue. '' Ofcourse it matters how you feel. It's about you.'' The boy than said a bit more calmed down. He didn't want to be angry at Minnie. He knew she could not do anything to this. '' Did your parents tell you to break up with me?'' Noel than asked and thought of her parents for an moment. They approved of him Minnie told her, but did they saw him as an distraction as well? They always studied together. He tried to ask the questions he had, but it seemed that Minnie was certain with hert decision. She could not look him in the eye and say she didn't liked him. That was enough information for Noel. He had an feeling this was not what she wanted deep down, but she was forced too. But the last part what she said was an bit cold to Noel. And an tear rolled over his cheek. '' I don't want to accept it. I don't believe you want to break up with me. If you were named an prefect, we would not be having this conversation.'' Noel than said with trouble of holding back his tears. He than sighted and wiped away the tears. '' But if that is really what you feel that is more important to you than me... Than go for it. Go and study...'' Noel than explained to her and looked away for an moment, grabbing his broom and than turned around. But before walking away he looked at her one more time. '' My feelings for you will stay. I give you some time, but I won't give up on us so easily.'' Noel than said, he was a bit mixed angry at the circumstances but after Minnie said she wanted to study he was an bit irritated to her as well. But that were emotions taking control. ​

 

[Professor Minnie Calida]

Minnie found it difficult to keep looking at Noel, she had expected him to be upset but she wasn’t sure she’d expected to see him this upset. In her mind this had played out easily, she’d said what she needed to and they would’ve gone separate ways. She wouldn’t have expected this play out like it tended to in one of the trashy teen novels she read, but then again her life had gone from being a simple story about working hard and achieving what was set out to a teen novel, where things were mess, where she wasn’t as sure of herself and was realising things about her parents that were making it difficult for her to want to go back to them. She looked at him as he asked if her parents had asked this of her, ”No they didn’t ask for it,” it had just been implied, it had just been the writing on the wall. She shook her head at him. ”Noel…” she said as he said he didn’t want to accept it, that he didn’t believe it. ”maybe not, but I wasn’t and we are having it.” she felt her voice shaking. She hated the assurance that he wouldn’t give up, but at least he was leaving. She shook her head at him but watched him leave ”I’m sorry,” she muttered before she too walked away. Her eyes brimming with tears and she was heading away she had to go to the owlery, send her parents the letter saying she’d done it, hopefully they would write back. ​