Leave it to Savannah Conrad to get lost in Hogsmeade, again. Funny thing was she ended up in the same place as last year except now it was much less cold. She knew the weather was only going to get colder and colder.

Mehhhh..... D:

Savvy didn't want cold weather!

The blonde stood in the back alley, unsure of how exactly to get out. A confused look rested on her perfectly etched face, one that showed she was THINKING. Where was someone she knew when they needed they? OH YEAH, They weren't HERE. She clutched onto her bag, pouting and grumbling. She wanted inside like NOAW, she wanted waaaaarmth. Instead she was stuck out here, lost in the COLD. Let's not forget the back alley was SCARY.

Nikolai was getting desperate now. He had tried everything possible, yet he still could not find a way to get to the Shrieking Shack. He was a Triwizard Champion for Merlin's sake! He should have special treatment and if he wanted to go into that shabby old house, he should be allowed.

Plus he was good-looking, so that should get him what he wanted anyway.

He was making his way back towards the castle, deciding to read another book on the Shack, when he had spotted a dark little alleyway. Stopping in his tracks, he leaned forward to get a better look. How could he have missed the alley before? He was in Hogsmeade quite a few times, and he had walked past it every time. With curiosity on his side, he took a few steps inside, only to spot a rather attractive blond.

"Vhy vould a pretty girl like yourself be hiding in a dark alley like this?"

This was annoying, annoying to the point where Savannah wanted to throw her purse at the wall and start crying. Of course, she wouldn't do that, someone might show up and then she would look like a total psycho like she really was She stomped her feet on the ground until....she heard a voice, a heavily accented voice. Her brow raised and she turned around to the person speaking.

She tilted her head, eying the guy before her. He was a Durmstrang boy...wait wasn't he the champion guy? Smiiiiiirk. She had been to busy worrying about beinglost she didn't' even realize what this kid was saying about her. It didn't take long though for his words to go to her head. "Not hiding, believe me, I never hide."She said, you know, attempting to joke around a bit? Meh, it probably wasn't working. Hehhhe. She laughed,"I'm lost."She said with a shrug. She let out a sigh, looking at him.

"May I ask what YOU Mr. Durmstrang boy are doing here?"Well, since he was being nosy she might as well be nosy too. "You best not be up to any shifty business or something..."Yeah, yeah. He BETTER not.

''No?'' Josh repeated looking surprised at her reaction. There was definitely something about the place that was bothering her. Was she scared of...that place? He could not tell and no matter how much he stared in her eyes to figure out what was wrong, he could not figure anything. Should he ask why? He did not know. But since she spoke that firmly it was probably something she did not want to talk.

''O-kay'' the Gryffindor boy said, a concerned expression appearing on his face.''Look...'' he began looking right into her eyes '' As i said before, if there's something bothering you, you do not need to worry about it...anymore. Because you have me. Okay?''

Then he smiled and nodded at her offer. He liked Honeydukes and all the chocolate there. Yet he needed to be careful since he did not have much money with him this time. ''Let's go'' and putting an arm around her shoulders he started to walk.

He had no idea how embarrassed she was, that she couldn’t even walk into a stupid building, but she would not go in there. Ever again. Hmm, wouldn’t Lawson be proud? Evelyn, staying out of trouble for once.

She could tell that he was confused on why she would not go there, seeing as she didn’t give a reason, but she smiled anyways, not wanting to worry him. Besides, he was right. She did have him. "You’re right. Okay." Her heart fluttered just a bit at the thought as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

And then they walked towards the crowded street. Honeydukes it was then. Anyplace away from the dusty old Hog’s Head was better. Even if Josh was with her.

She wasn't hiding? Nikolai didn't know what someone would be doing in a dark alley besides hiding, unless she was waiting for someone. His eyes strayed back towards the main street, just waiting for someone to show up, but when she spoke he turned back to face her. So, she was lost.

How was that possible?

He was new here and even he managed to find his way back and forth to the castle without getting lost. Shaking his head slightly, a smirk played on his lips before speaking. "You did not think to leave this alley the vay you came in?" He tilted his head towards the entrance way leading to the main street. The source of light should have helped her there. That didn't matter now, though. Nikolai was there and he wouldn't mind helping her out of the alley.

He was being accused of shiftiness! Just because he was a Durmstrang student and he just so happened to walk into a dark alley did not mean he was up to something. An amused look crossed his face before taking a step closer to the blonde. "People might think you vere up to something shifty. Being in this dark alley vith me."

Way to make her look stupid.

Savannah rested a hand on her hip, looking around the ally TRYING to find something to say. Any excuse to WHY she was lost and HOW she had not seen the bit of light. Erm, maybe she could say she was color blind or something? Nah, that was a lame excuse and obviously a big lie. Instead, an innocent look played on the blonde's face. She said nothing, just bit her lip trying to hold back giggles. She didn't even answer his question.

See? That was the fun part about being pretty, you could do something stupid and just stand there and giggle about it and people would laugh it off.

BAHHHHA! He was amused or he thought she was funny! Either one was good.A grin grew and the giggles seized. There was a tiny chuckle though, just a little tiny one."Hahhhhh, well lucky for us no one is around to think we are doing anything."Savannah smirked, putting a hand in her pocket. Sweet Merlin, it was cold."And besides.....you dont even know my name."

There was a pause, a long pause. Savvy held her hand out to the boy in front of her, "Savannah Conrad, 7th year Hogwartsian."GIGGLE. Now that was a funny word.

Hayley was lost, really lost. Was that like one of her habits or something? Always getting lost? o______O She sighed and started to get nervous, and she was never nervous ever. What if there would be a stranger coming? She looked behind her and in front of her, feeling the goosebumps on her arms. She bit her lip and leaned against the wall, hoping somebody that she knew would come.

James Sacheverell Wilkes didn't usually spend time being all shifty in alley ways, but his monkey had run down here so here he was, monkey hunting. Rufus being the tiny thing that he was, wasn't easy to spot. It was probably the only time in his life that Jimmy had been anti-fireworks. Someone let off a firecracker in the street and his poor little guy had been completely alarmed and made a run for it.

"Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuufus?"

"Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuufus?"

.....

"Ruuuu- Hayley? What are you... hey. Hows it going." Wall leaning? He eyed the wall for a moment and then shrugged, joining her. Even while he was leaning though, his eyes were peeled for the little marmoset. Where did he go?

Hayley heard footsteps and something run past her. She screamed a little with fear in her voice and heard more footsteps. James? "James! Ohmygosh." She said hugging the boy and then stepping back awkwardly. "Sorry, I'm just a little lost." She said looking around nervously once more.

"Who's Rufus?" She asked curiously as she leaned against the wall, her eyes peeled, trying to find an exit out of here.

It was cold back here. Shiver.

Hehe.

"Its okay." Pshh. You think Jimmy Wilkes minded hugs from pretty girls? NO HE DID NOT. But also, she genuinely seemed on edge, what with the scream and all.

"Hey," He said gently and put his arm around her shoulder. Friendly-like. "Its okay. No big. You're fine right?" Granted, Jimmy didn't know about what had happened in THIS VERY ALLEYWAY only a few terms before, but then, he was awesome and rawr anyway, so it'd be fine.

"Rufus is my monkey." Pause. "He got a fright and ran down this way. He's really... really tiny." Jim held up one hand and measured out from fingertip to thumb. "He's a pygmy marmoset." So. Tiny.

He felt her shiver and gave her a look. SIGH. "Take my jacket, you're like an icicle." He didn't wait for a response, just shrugged out of his jacket and heaped it on her. Then, monkey huntin' resumed.

"Rufus? Hey little guy? Where are you?"

Hayley slightly smiled up at James as he put his arm around her. "Yeah, I'm fine, it's just that I'm not too fond of being alone in such a creepy place." She said looking around once again.

A monkey? "Well I thought I felt something run past me and it did kind of feel like a rat. So maybe that was Rufus?" The Gryffindor asked, pointing to her left to where the animal that past her ran to. "And if it was Rufus, I'm guessing he's not as scary when it's light out." She laughed a little but shivered some more.

Then James put his coat over her and she was about to deny it but sighed. "You really don't have to do that, but in favor I'll help you find Rufus, if you would like that is." She stated. What would Jayce say if she saw what was going on here? Well nothing was going on...right?

--And wasn't he still on her list? Oh goodness, but she left her purse with the list at Hogwarts, so she wouldn't be able to figure that out. Meh.

"Well, you sure ain't alone now." He pointed out, looking over his shoulder at her. A rat? "Well, he's definitely no rat. You'll love him." Or you know, not. But... how anyone could not was beyond Jim.

"Yeah that'd be great. I worry about the little guy." Jim answered, relieved at the offer. He grinned all crooked!cute and then turned in the direction she'd indicated, hunting around.

"Why'd you come down here anyway?"

'Well, you sure ain't alone now.' The line played in her head and she giggled a little to herself. Waiiitttt, no. His charm was getting to her and she was in a creepy alley! This was not right! "Hopefully. I haven't really known anybody who has a monkey as their pet, but we'll see I guess." Hayley said walking along side of him as they searched for Rufus.

James smiled at her and she felt like she could melt. Yeah, now she could care less about that list. Why did she come down here? UHHHH, SHE WAS LOST.

"Oh I actually got lost." The blond blushed and laughed at herself mentally. Wow, did that sound stupid.

"Yeah. I wanted one and my mum, she rolled with it. And then we went and rescued the little guy. He's got a bit of damage in his shoulder, from a curse, poor thing. So he can't really do so well in the wild. And he's pretty tame right now."

Apparently they got a bit feral with age.

"Lost?" He turned around, surprised. "In Hogsmeade? You must have been thinking about something pretty deeply."

Where....

HA! He could see Rufus! His big eyes caught the low light and Jimmy crouched.

"Hey little guy..." He whispered softly.

Hayley nodded as James told her about Rufus. He seemed like he cared alot about him and she smiled. He was caring, that was so sweet.

Then he turned around and she stepped back a little suprised by it. "Oh yeah, I'm just wondering about how my parents were. I haven't heard anything from them in the longest time." She sighed. Her parents hadn't contacted her in almost a year.

The blond noticed something upon the ground and she crouched down along with James. "Ohmygoodness, he's adorable." She said her eyes widened by the cuteness of him.

"Sucks." Jim answered, meaning it. His own parents were often AWOL so at least he understood to some extent. He didn't pry though. He glanced back at her and smiled again. "They working, or on Holiday or something?" Okay. He asked. But thats not prying, thats conversation.

"Yeah he is." Jim reached out his arm and then Rufus jumped on his hand. Jimmy stood up,holding his hand out for Hayley to see his marmoset.

"Meet Rufus."

Hayley just nodded. It did suck, however she wondered if Jason, her brother, was getting any contact with them either. "I...I don't know actually." She said frowning. Of course they worked but they could at least write her a letter or something. She felt her eyes water and she wiped her eye with her sleeve, not letting herself cry. She never cried and she definitley didn't want to do it in front of James.

Her face made an expression of awe as he held up Rufus, so she could see. She pet him and smiled. "Hi Rufus." She said petting him some more and then looking back up at James. "What made you want a marmoset?" She asked curiously. She was pretty sure a marmoset wouldn't come first to her mind if she was allowed a pet, but they sure were cute.

She heard some more footsteps and she stepped closer to Rufus and James. Luckily the person walked the other way and she sighed, the relief coming to her senses. If she was alone she would have ran.

Sounded like there was more to whatever that was than what it sounded like at first. Jimmy wasn't sure what to say. He scratched the back of his head with his free hand thoughtfully. "I'm not gonna pry, but, if you wanna talk about it or anything, I'm... here I guess." He wrinkled his nose. He meant it but wasn't it weird of him to offer? They didn't know each other supremely well or anything. But he was sincere. He smiled gently.

Rufus allowed the petting but then after a bit of it, he climbed up Jimmy's arm, and into his sleeve right under his shirt until he was peeking out at the neck, everything but his eyes hidden by Jim's scarf.

"I dunno. I wanted something different you know? And I was talking to Mia, she's a Hufflepuff friend of mine, and she randomly suggested a monkey, dunno if she thought I'd take her seriously but.... I thought about it and it kinda works for me."

He looked down at her.

"Easy now. If I can't fight 'em off, Rufus will take care of you." Grin. "He'll work his powers of cute." Paaaause. "I taught him everything he knows, of course."

Hayley smiled back thoughtfully at James. "Thanks, that really means alot." She said back taking his hand and squeezing it. Waitt, she shouldn't be doing this. She quickly took her hand back and looked around, nervously. What was going on with her? She laughed a little as Rufus climbed up into James's scarf.

"Hmm, well it's unique to get such a pet, but I like it. It makes you seem like you have a different view on things when people see what kind of pet you have." The Gryffindor stated, going on into her fortune cookie sayings again. "Uhh, forget about what I just said. I haven't been thinking straight recently anyways." She laughed.

The blond raised an eyebrow at James. What confidence he has. Hahaha. "Oh what a flirt you are, Mr. Master of Cuteness." She said poking James's arm and walking once again trying to find an exit out of here. It was still creepy, but not as much now that she had Rufus and James here.

"Its okay." Jimmy answered, somewhat bemused by her. One second she was hugs and hand squeezing, the next she was jumping away like she was getting burned. He knew he was hot but, come onnnnnnn. He adjust Rufus and nodded, hoping to put Hayley at ease some.

"Yeah I guess." And if he was honest, girls liking the cuteness that was Rufus, didn't hurt either. But then, he liked Rufus and thought the little thing was adorable too. "Gonna try teach him tricks." James added. But then again... He laughed too. "Its okay, you make sense to me."

He eyed his arm where she'd poked it and then followed along. "You wanna go?" James caught her arm up gently. "Its this way."

Ughh, what was going on with her? "Sorry, you just make me nervous for some reason." She shrugged. She didn't know what to do, she had a boyfriend but James was really cute. Oh goodness.

"Well it seems like your 'tricks' of yours are working quite well." She smiled and then smacked her head mentally. She really needed to work on her flirtyness.

Hayley kept on walking but James had grabbed her arm and told her it was the other way. At least he told her or else she would be lost here the entire time. Not that it would be a bad thing with James here but it was creepy and she didn't like it at all. "Oh, okay. Thanks." She said turning the other way and walking with them.

"I'm sorry about that." Jimmy told her. Was it him or was Hayley kinda on edge out of it? "I'm not doing it on purpose, promise." His smile was honest and it went right into a big grin at her next comment.

"You wanna see tricks, Hayley?" Okay so maybe THAT response was on purpose but, could you blame him? He couldn't change the whole instant response thing. But at least he was being nice and he was kinda concerned.

"Yeahh just call me Hero or something. Haha." Saving a Damsel in distress and all. "Got any shopping or anything to do?"

"Don't be sorry, really you don't need to be. I guess you could take it as a compliment or something." Hayley shrugged, smiling as he grinned at her.

She laughed at what he said next and shook her head in amusement. "See tricks, hmm? Okay, go for it." She said, wanting to see what he would do. So sure she only met him two times, but she could already figure out most of himself. Now only if she had her notebook, it could help.

Hero? Heheh, he was funny. "Uhmm, I think I've finished most of my shopping. I was just walking around the shops earlier and I kind of gotten lost, as you see now. So other than that once I get out of here I'm probably going to get a bite to eat." She responded looking at Rufus once again and back to James. "What about you? Have you any shopping to do?" She asked grabbing the sleeve of James's jacket as it almost fell off of her.

"Alright. Compliment accepted. Unnecessary, but accepted." He answered.

Oh she was taking him up on it? Well alright then. He just gave her a dazzling smile and then nodded.

"Nah I don't have anything I have to do, I was just asking because, you know, after that little ordeal," He glanced back into the alley, "I figured you might want to get a drink or something to eat." He saw his jacket practically falling off her so he took hold of the edges and gently caught her wrist up and quite literally put it on her properly, guiding each of her hands into the appropriate arm and then zipping the whole thing up, giving her a crooked grin as he did so. Usually he preferred the UNdressing, but she was cold, kinda adorable, and he didn't REALLY wanna see his jacket fall on the ground.

"Sooo.... my shout?"