Give in to Love, or Live in Fear

Mirabelle rejoined the Christmas going away party, determind to forget what the Matron had told her.

''How many of you are leaving for home tomorrow?'' Mirabelle asked your Quidditch team, plopping down on Marcus's lap and stealing his butterbeer.

''Me!'' Said Miles.

''Excellent.'' Mirabelle teased, smirking as he jokingly pretended to be hurt by her words.

''Terrence, Monsour, Montague...'' Miles filled in the others, counting them down on his fingers.

''I know my baby is!'' Mirabelle stretched out onto Adrian and Marcus, pinching Adrian's cheeks and pouting.

''What about you, Marcus?'' She asked, she did not want to be at Hogwarts on her own.

''Nope.'' He took his butterbeer back, taking a sip as she sat up.

''Oh goody! I won't be alone!'' Mirabelle cheered, smiling a toothy adorable grin.

''Why aren't you going home?'' He asked, curious.

''Mom and Dad are going to visit Grandma in France, I went last time...'' She shrugged.

After the party quieted down a bit, Mirabelle, Adrian and Marcus departed for the empty boys dormitory, she wanted to tell them.

''Wood!'' Adrian nearly fell from his bed, choking slightly on his chocolate frog.

Mirabelle nodded gravely, slumping down lifelessly onto Miles bed. ''That's what she said...''

Marcus spoke, though not judgmental or snide. ''What are you going to do?''

''I'm going to kick his ass in our next match and never talk to him again.'' She answered nonchalantly, why did it have to be him?

The next morning she got another letter from her mystery Gryffindor, although he wasn't much of a mystery anymore.

She frowned deeply, sending his letter back without writing a word.

Mirabelle and Marcus walked with Adrian down to the train, she and Marcus ]said their goodbyes to Adrian as he boarded the train at the ever so snowy Hogsmeade station.

On their way back to Hogwarts gates, Mirabelle spotted Oliver Wood and the Weasley twins, she dragged Marcus to the furthest side of the wide path, muttering what she was saying previously.

Marcus shook his head, she never was the most mature person he's ever met.

At long last they entered the toasty haven of the entrance hall, shivering slightly from the dramatic climate change.

''I'm going back to bed.'' Marcus informed, yawning lightly.

Mirabelle laughed, nodding. ''Fine, but I have to get Snape's signature to pick up Fifteenth-Century Fiends from the Restricted section. The things I read for education.'' She sighed.

''Have fun.'' Marcus smirked, heading in the direction of the Slytherin common room.

After Mirabelle headed down to Snape's office in the dungeon, she got the slip signed and left for the library at once.

Dreading the moment that book was in her temporary possession, she sighed, climbing the many stairs that lead her to the third floor, the castle was a lot quieter than usual.

She walked pass the portrait of Valeria Myriadd, happy she wasn't in need of an original hand-written manuscript of Hogwarts; A history. Climbing through that portrait hole is a killer!

Once Madam Irma Pince accepted that the signature wasn't forged, she left for the Restricted Section, coming back with a thick leather bond book labeled; Fifteenth-Century Fiends.

Shoving the book against her chest, she set off out of the library.

Briskly she walked down to the dungeons, planning to put the book in her dormitory and head down for breakfast, perhaps Marcus would join her a little later.

Her stomach growled in agreement as she entered the Great hall, only a few people sat at the long thin tables for breakfast, everyone else left for the holidays.

She ignored the feeling of being watched as she took a lonesome seat near the middle of the polished wooden table, far from the few students in the hall.

Oliver ran a hand through his hair as he attempted to eat breakfast, he couldn't forget that she never answered him back, he wondered why and as he peeked over at her, her expression gave no answers.

He sighed, his eyes dropping to the plate in front of him.

A few moments later Mirabelle looked up at the sleepy bed headed figure of Marcus, who lazily walked into the great hall, overlooking the Christmas decorations and the massive tree in the front.

It looked as though he threw on his jumper in his sleep and Mirabelle could not restrain a laugh, which, much to her horror, rang melodically through the room.

Marcus plopped down on the bench beside her, his eyes half closed as he mindlessly shoveled food into his mouth.

''Hello, Adrian'' She smirked, sipping her pumpkin juice.

''Ha! Ha!'' Marcus dully and dryly replied through the food in his mouth.

''Wood has been staring at you for the longest time.'' He informed after a few moments.

Subconsciously, Mirabelle looked up and over at the Gryffindor table, catching Oliver's eye, she quickly and expressionlessly looked back to her food.

''If he doesn't stop, I'll make him.'' She hated more than anything to be stared at.

Marcus snorted, taking a rather large bit out of an unsuspecting piece of toast.

Considering they had no classes during Christmas holiday's Marcus and Mirabelle had little to nothing to do all day.

''I can't understand how we're going to survive for two whole weeks of this.'' Mirabelle sighed, glancing over at the Giant Squid, which swam just under the surface of the Black Lake.

''Gah! It can't digest that!'' Mirabelle stopped Marcus from throwing bread into the water for it to eat.

''Why do you know that?'' Marcus squinted over at her, shaking his head.

She ignored his question, sitting on the grassy shore of the Lake.

After a while she begrudgingly informed Marcus that she had to send her parents a letter, leaving him by the lake, she walked to the Owlery.

Stair after snowy stair, she at last entered the circular room, coaxing her owl done from a hay bed, she took out the letter she wrote for her parents the day before and tied it to her owls leg.

''Take this to Mom and Dad.''

Her owl hopped onto her arm, which was laden in dark blue velvet. ''Lazy.'' Mirabelle sighed, walking over to one of the many glassless windows and gently throwing her owl out of the window.

She watched as the dark feathered bird grew more and more distant and soon it was but a black dot.

Carefully she descended the stairs, her head down to ensure she wouldn't miss a step and fall.

Someone cleared their throat a few steps down and startled her, she nearly lost her balance. She looked up from the stone snowy covered stairs, controlling her anger the best she could.

''Wood.'' She addressed calmly, continuing to sweep down the stairs in her graceful manner.

''Wait!'' He called after her.

She spun around, her brows knit together as she attempted to appear normal.

''It's very cold out here, you're not even wearing a jacket.'' He stated the obvious, looking over her blue velvet dress nervously. It reached just an inch or so beneath her knees and white lace adorned the last inch of the sleeves.

''Yes, well, I wasn't expecting to stay outside long, you're making that impossible to be.'' She retorted, annoyed.

With all her attention on him, he grew more and more nervous. ''I-I want to talk to y-you.''

Slumping visibly, she sighed. ''About what? No Quidditch on Christmas holiday.'' Mirabelle informed, that was the only reason he would need to talk to her. Unless... he knew that she knew.

''I know. I-... nevermind, I'm sorry to bother you.'' He took a shaky deep breath and hurried up the rest for the stairs, only looking back when he reached the enterance of the Owlery.

She was halfway down the stairwell, her dark spiral locks bouncing happily behind her as she descended toward the ground.

Mirabelle frowned, he must know.