He kissed Taylor on the cheek "Hello." He said to her with a smile and then more seriously but not grimacing he nodded "Damon." Who at this point he had come to respect but still not like. "What are you too up to?" He asked eating a piece of the peeta bread.

Damon shrugged, "Talking, dancing, more talking, and then more dancing. Kinda being held against my will." He said jokingly looking at Taylor, "Somebody doesn't want me to leave just because I have school work to do."

Tay playfully slapped Damon, "Ash if you really wanted to go you would of been gone." She stuck out her tongue at him. To MAxwell, "Yeah basically what he said, but i did paint something." She pointed to the painting of Damon sitting by the bench.

Maxwell laughed a little. "Well, schoolwork does sound a little bit of a silly reason." He said hoping to not offend Damon, he honestly didn't mean to. "I came down to feed the ducks and read." He said holding up his things.

Tay glanced at MAxwell, "I have to disagree, school work is a good reason." She nodded, but of coruse she was a ravenclaw after all.

Maxwell smiled and shook his head a little. "I can think of no reason good enough to walk away from you, I'm sure Damon would agree." He said not hinting at anything he just knew that Damon would understand and feel the same.

Tay looked down and blushed. She realized that she was still standing close to Damon since she didnt move after the dance. Taylor took a few steps back then went to the bench, "That is sweet of you to say."

Maxwell smiled at her. "No it's just true." He held up the bread. "Would you two like to feed the ducks with me?" It was no point being rude to Damon publicly, he was part of her family now and it wouldn't help him.

Tay shook her head, "Not me." She didnt want to stand up, dancing with Damon a lot wore her out. Taylor watched the two boys.

Maxwell made a fake frown and then smiled. "Well, i could always feed you the bread, little duck." He said to her with a small chuckle.

Damon shook his head, taking the seat next to Taylor, "Thanks but no thanks." He said looking around, then looked at Taylor at her comment, "Though you have a point, I've promised you I wouldn't leave you if you didn't want me too." He chuckled, "Even to do my schoolwork."

Cookies were amazing. "I've got chocolate chip, white chocolate anything you name it I'll probs have it" Alex ran her fingers through her red hair then looked towards the lil puff. "And what would kind of cookie would you care to have?" the third year beamed at the puff.

After searching through the bag Alex found a chocolate chip one which she happily took a bite out of. "I'm going to get myself a lil puff during the holidays because I just love them." the red head said still beaming.

Tay wrinkled her nose at Maxwell, "I am an eagle not a duck." She giggled then to Damon, she smiled and hugged him, "You are amazing, Ashdarker." Taylor didnt know why she combined parts of his name into a nickname but she was joking around with him so why not? "You should get your schoolwork done though..... I dont wnat you to get bad grades because of me." She frown some.

Maxwell laughed at Taylor's comment. "I'm sorry, i just thought duck's were cuter than eagles." He said winking at her. He made a half frown. "So, no one wants to feed the ducks with me? What's the point of coming to a duck pond it not to feed the ducks!?" He asked in a joking tone. He would have been content to talk with either of them. He wanted to talk to Damon and let him know that in Maxwell's eyes they weren't enemies or adversaries, but they would never be friends no matter who Taylor picked in the end. It was nothing personal to Maxwell simply that if he himself wasn't picked he would be able to stand Damon and if he was picked he wouldn't trust him.

Jordan was walking about the grounds in search of friends when he found Maxwell, a girl and a boy. He guessed that the girl was the Taylor girl who Max had been talking about, the other boy however must be the one who also liked Taylor. Both of the boys seemed to be competing for the girls attention... But Jordan wasn't bothered.

He heard Max's comment, "I'll feed the ducks!" he grinned, walking towards Max to stand next to him. He acknowledged the pair on the grass, "Hi there, I'm Jordan... Max's friend," he waved at them.

Ameliah got even more excited. CHOCOLATE!!!!!!! YAYYY! "White chocalate, please." She raised her eyebrows at the puff, who squeaked happily in the code Ameliah taught her. "Mel said she wants chocolate chip. Don't think a white cookie would do well with the whole flour thing." she rolled her eyes at the puff.

Her eyes widened. "You're getting a puff too? What color? What will its name be?"

Damon shrugged, "School can wait." He said with a smile.

"Sorry," Damon said looking at him, "But I tend to scare small children and animals." He laughed.

Damon looked at the boy who walked up, he gave a small nod, "Damon Ashllyn-Darkmyr Mercada, call me Ash." He was big on formallity, "A pleasure, I'm sure."

"Jordan!" Maxwell said giving his friend a slap on the back. "Taking a break from Quidditch?" He asked.

Maxwell laughed and with his normal devilish smile said "You don't look all that scary to me. I think the ducks would come to the same conclusion."

Tay laughed, "Hmmm i guess ducks are cuter." She smiled, "I came out here to sketch and paint." Taylor shrugged. To Jordan, "Pleasure meeting you Jordan." Tay smiled, "I'm Taylor or Tay as some calls me." To Damon, "Oh Ash, i guess i am honored that you rather spend time with MAxwell and me than school." Taylor laughed and smiled at him, "But you arent that scary."

Maxwell smiled at Taylor. "You could always paint and sketch the ducks while i feed them." He said trying to convince her.

Tay shook her head, "I only had one canvas with me and i used it, painting Damon before we danced and I dont feel like sketching any more today."

Maxwell smiled and shook his head. "Well, aren't you being difficult today." he said obviously joking and sticking out his tongue.

Tay laughed and smiled, "Yes, yes i am." She glanced up at the sunny sky then back down at Jordan, Maxwell and Damon.

Maxwell smiled at Taylor. "Well what would you like to do?" He asked laughing.

He smiled towards Taylor, "Maybe not to you." Damon chuckled, "But most only see 'scary goth'; don't bother to even get to know me like you have." He laughed. He wanted him and Taylor to go back to their dancing, he truely did have fun with her... but he was afraid of what Maxwell would do, he really didn't need even more arguing in his life at the moment.