He was coming, Climbing up the ladder now that the pizza was safe and all. climb, climb climb. It didn't seem like it was this high last time he was here. it really didn't. reaching the top he wiped his hands on his jeans before turning to face Beverly. "Oh, Hi! nice meeting you up here.." heh he was funny "and you brought pizza! my favorite!"he stared at her in amazement for a brief couple of seconds before he lost it and started laughing at himself.

"Sorry, Hi. Thanks for getting the pizza." he motioned to it with his left hand as his right felt his pocket to make sure the box didn't fall out. good, still there. All systems are a go, Captain!

"Let's go in and sit." cos snow duh. Walking over to the door he held it opened and waited for her while a sheepish grin played on his face. remember the date, put it together Beverly, come on. She was a genius he knew that. Surely she would put the two together and give him some sort of sign.

"this isn't some ordinary picnic you know." there a clue.. the only one she'd get he said walking over to a random table and waiting for her, hoping he'd see the light bulb go off on her way over.

She could play, too. Beverly loves games. "Hello, welcome to my humble home." Poker face... For like five seconds because the next thing she knew she was laughing. Something rare which usually happened in front of this boy. Tilting her head to the side, she watched him, her eyes flitting from his pocket to his face. "Did you lose something?" She hadn't seen anything fall.

Tearing her eyes from him, Beverly walked inside, the pizza still hovering in front of her as she went. This wasn't an ordinary picnic? Her eyebrows creased as that nagging thought from before came back to haunt her. She had it, she did. Lets see...her cousin's birthday was on the twelfth, that was in two days--

Today was the tenth.

A slow smile crept on her face and her gaze immediately fell on Jeremiah. He knew it and he hadn't told her. Sneaky Gryffindor. "It's the tenth."

HAHAHA! She played along, that was great! the fifth year laughed some as she did cos that was great, good looking out, Beverly."I like what you've done with the place." still going along with it because it was funny he grinned at her, " no no, i didn't lose anything." Thank Merlin.

He was waiting, leaning on the table with that smirk on his face waiting, he knew that hint would be enough for her. He could see the gears working in her brain as she thought out what he just said. Come on, you can get it, Wayne!

"Ahh-ha" we have a winner. he grinned as he took the pizza, still warm, and set it on the table. "It is the tenth."good job. "And you know what that is, yea?" she better know.. she looked like she knew but did she?

"Why thank you. I remodeled it myself," she said, playing along, grinning proudly as if she had really done something on the place. Letting out another laugh she shook her head. Enough of the playing and more of the "This is a picnic but not really" thing.

Taking a few steps toward the table Jeremiah was leaning against, Beverly kept her gaze on him. Of course she knew what that meant. How could she forget? Sure it'd taken her sometime to put it together, but she KNEW what it meant.

Suddenly feeling bashful, she glanced around to make sure there was no one around, then she hurried on over to Jeremiah, rose on her tip toes and whispered into his ear.

Yeah, she knew. And, oh My Merlin, why did she feel as nervous as she had been then?!

Remodeled it herself! she was funny, even with magic he knew she wouldn't put that much effort into a place that wasn't for just herself. This place was shared with hundreds of more kids an he just wouldn't it was a funny thought though. Running his hand through his hair he smiled at her whispering. "yes yes you're right." very right, smart girlfriend was smart.

It was one of the many things he liked about her. "the tenth." he grinned like an idiot at her, "also December, which means Christmas is soon." he knew she really didn't like the Christmas time for reasons but he wanted her to be a little bit happy. "So this is going to be our christmas too, ok?" Which is where his pocket!box came in handy with the charm bracelet he was a bit excited for. "Since we most likely wont see each other over break since it's only a few weeks." they'd be fine and all, it wasn't like he had to be with her twenty four seven or anything, no.

Swimming in the lake? "I think you do that." Why not? Surely if they can't do that the Headmistress would told them that during her speech, no?

Not Angel? Hah! She should have known that they both were so different in personality why couldn't she found out about this sooner? "And why didn't you tell me about that little information earlier, huh?" Poke. Poke. Poke. Was she thought its funny to play with her? Hmph. "But nice to meet you, AJ." At least she's getting along fine with one of the Valentines triplet. Twisting her wand and then water coming out from her wand? Didn't she know that its dangerous to play with your wand or any wands for that matter? Oh. Wait, she's a Muggleborn so her parents or her older sibling never told her that when she's growing up not like her Dad and Willy. "And then what happened? Did you manage to control your wand? And what Peeves did?" Knowing Peeves he probably took an advantage from that accidental flooding. "You didn't cost us any points didn't you?" Please say no. Please.

"Its fun. Maybe you could try and ask Professor Culloden about it." If AJ really wanted to try that thing. She didn't come to the first Astronomy lesson because she's feeling under the weather so she didn't know about it. "Hmm. I bet its." Maybe she should come to the next lesson?

"Cool. I'll have to do that when it warms up a bit." Swimming was so much fun and she had never swam in a lake with a giant squid so that would be interesting. She wondered if she could ride it like a dolphin. Maybe it would just depend on the squid's mood or something. She would give it a go while there.

AJ shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno. Just wanted to have fun." She liked pranks and do the ol' switcheroo on people. It was more fun when they tried to pull it off on people who knew them well already. Now that was a challenge. "It's nice to meet you too." The girl seemed cool, and definitely like somebody she could hang out with. "Well, it finally stopped flooding and then my sister Angel showed up followed closely by Peeves." It was an accident really. "Peeves came and started screaming for a professor, pulling robes over heads, emptying waste buckets and started yelling about me having an accident." Only she thought he was meaning a bathroom accident. "It was really funny though. I blamed it on Peeves, said that he was trying to frame me." The professor that came to the rescue seemed nice enough. "I think she bought it and so far I haven't lost any points." Of course that could change. She just found out what the whole point thing was and she didn't want to be the reason that the Gryffindors lost any.

"You know you kind of remind me of my sister Angel a little bit." She was kind of on her like a mother would be. Oh, the professor why didn't she think of that? "I'll have to do that." It sounded like fin, and AJ liked having fun.

Laughing as he leaned against Lux he sighed… he just really wished he didn't have to go to classes so that he could spend all his time with her, but he knew that wasn't going to happen because he needed to finish his education and so did she.

"ahahah I don't think I'll ever become a giant" silly Lux ahahah "if I do though I'll shrink myself for you" laughing some more now he thought of himself as a small figurine marching around and Lux putting him in her pocket, he had to wipe a tear away from his eyes because the thought of it was making him cry with laughter.

"yeah I could go for a nap but if we walk around that would totally help" He got up and held out his hand for her to take.

Oh gosh, she was having way too much fun with Bay. Lux wished they could do this all the time, but knew that it wasn't possible because they were at school. Shaking her head in amusement, she laughed at his laughter. "You are so silly."

LOL, he would shrink himself for her. "Then I'd have to carry you in my pocket with Toffy. No thanks." That would definitely be funny at first, but she would much rather have him life sized. Nod. "I think we should stick to the ladder idea at least for now." Yep, it was a much better idea.

Awww, he really did seem sleepy. Taking his hand, she sighed. "If you really want to sleep, it's okay." They could always walk after. Unless he really wanted to walk now. It waas totally up to him!

Connor reached the Tree house with Addi. "That busy, Huh? So you started going here when you were a fifth year?" He asked her and climbed into the treehouse, he liked this place, it was calm and cool all at the same time. He liked to come here and read sometimes, though he was trying to make friends that didn't live inside of books.

"Ohh..so you were homeschooled? Oh! My Dad was a muggle.." But he didn't wanna say much more than that about his Dad. "So...what made you wanna come here instead? Did you not like Homeschool?" Questions, questions and more questions..

Addi nodded. "Yeah. Some of it was my choice but oh well." The past was the past. Nothing would be as crazy as her first year here. OWLs. Yuck. She looked up at the tree house. It was a pretty nice looking place. She wondered what awesomeness magic had brought inside.

"Yep. Parents idea. Not mine." Adelaide saw the look on his face. She knew that look. That was the 'I don't wanna talk about it' look. She got that quite often recently. But now was her turn to elaborate. "My dad's kind of a big deal in the world of politics in the muggle world. Wanted to use me as a show pony. I always wanted to come here since I was eleven and got my letter. Dad had other ideas. And mum just let him do whatever he wanted." The bitterness in her voice was very apparent. "I actually - uh - got fed up with everything this summer and I did something he didn't like and he kicked me out and cut me off." Might as well get everything out there right now. Her smile had kinda faded at this point.

Connor nodded. He got that, you couldn't always help being busy. Such was life and growing up.. But for now he was hanging out in a tree house, it was NOT time for growing up.

"Ohh...okay.." He said and frowned a little, hearing the story...that was awful...he was even more grateful for having the father he did..his dad was a muggle too but he never held Connor back in such a way, he felt just awful! "Well..that's stupid..you don't deserve that..at all..you don't need him..I'm your friend now and if you ever nee anything just ask cause you know...that's what friends do and junk.." he smiled a little, He was a Gryffindor now...weren't they supposed to be loyal? "But what about you? That was about your parents...tell me about yourself?" He asked and sat in a little corner of the treehouse.

Adelaide couldn't help but crack a smile at Connor's optimism. That's how she used to be before all of this. Especially when it came to her friend's problems. Yep. Him and her were going to get along just fine.

"Thanks Connor." Addi definitely felt slightly better. "I will keep that in mind." She took this opportunity to climb up in a window. She perched carefully, her balance improved immensely from quidditch practices. Especially the one where they stood on their brooms. She looked over at Connor. "Whaddya wanna know?"

Beverly was on a limbo of sulking at the mention of Christmas and celebrating it or feeling extremely excited that Jeremiah had just labeled it 'Their Christmas.' It was tough, but the slow grin that stretched her lips decided that she was going with option two. For now. She didn't want to be a downer. Not on the tenth. And not when he clearly knew her dislike for the holiday but was trying to make it better. It was one of the nicest things someones ever done for her.

"It'll be our Christmas," she nodded, then eyed him a bit. "Does this mean we're celebrating? Today?" Is that why he wanted to meet her here? The reason there was pizza and he had dressed up specially nice? She noticed. Boyfriends should tell girlfriends these kinds of stuff. "Y'know, you should have told me so I could have," she glanced down at her choice of outfit, "worn something nicer."

He was hoping that he wasn't over doing anything or the fact that he mentioned the word Christmas was going to earn him a punch in the face or something. She would totally punch him, he'd take it like a man of course but he still couldn't shake the feeling of her being bothered by him bringing it up. "i thought the tenth would be the perfect day to do this, i hope you don't mind." she didn't did she?

"we are celebrating." weather she wanted to her not, he was determined to make her smile lots today. Smiling at her he shook his head, "no no, what are you talking about you look beautiful." she always did though, it was just how Beverly was, Beautiful even when she wasn't trying. "pizza?" he took the clear cover wrap off the pie and the smell of hot fresh pizza quickly filled the room. his favorite.

Connor saw her smile and was glad he could do that, everyone deserved to be happy...everyone.. There was no reason why people shouldn't be happy.. So he was determined to help his friends and not to be something that ever made things harder for them.

"Yeah, anytime.." He watched her go up there but he was content to stay on the ground.. his balance was not as great as hers so yeah.. "I don't know..whatever friends should know...things you like...or don't like..whatever you feel like talking about, really.."

Ugh. There he goes again being all sweet and...Beverly was a sucker for that. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she totally was. It melted that 'frigid' heart of hers her cousin had once accused her of possessing.

"I don't mind, Jeremiah." Beverly found she didn't mind lots of things when it came to him for obvious reasons. She grinned just to show him she was okay. "The tenth is perfect and...really, really sweet." He was deserving of that compliment, and he was probably the only person in all of Hogwarts who would ever hear her saying that word in that context.

She was blushing. BAH!

It was a good thing he turned toward the pizza while Beverly worked on controlling her face. Taking off her mittens she tucked them into her back pant pocket and walked over to him. "Do you even have to ask?" She smirked.

Really, Jeremiah, when has she EVER turned down pizza?

"good, i was really hoping you didnt." rocking on his feet he pushed some hair out of his face before a hand went back into the pocket of his coat, for reasons. She said sweet, someone call the daily prophet Beverly Wayne just said something was sweet in public, this was a big deal! "i was going to do this the day before break but, i thought the tenth would be nicer cause you know... the tenth." it was a very special day for them.. the tenth he liked it.

"no, i know you love pizza." with lots of pepperoni on it too, he remembered. "I also have something for you." he had a smirk dancing on his lips again. "after pizza though." cause she needed to enjoy it, unless she protested otherwise, he might give in. In fact he most definitely will. His fingers ran over the box again. He knew she'd just love it.

She really didn't mind. If she did, then he'd be the first to know, and something told her he knew that already. Beverly totally caught his hand moving. It wasn't the first time it went to his pocket. Hmm.

"The tenth," she repeated with a raise of her eyebrows in a knowing look. "I like this, though. It's better now than later." Because she knew herself, and she didn't trust her moods/emotions as Christmas grew nearer, and she didn't want Jeremiah to be in the line of fire.

She daintily picked a pepperoni and chewed it as if it was the best thing since dragons. "Even with extra pepperoni," she grinned. Wait. Jeremiah Walker said what? "Like...a present? You can't just say that and not give it to me." How was that fair? Beverly eyed the pizza. She could devour that in five minutes. She could. She'd try. The whole thing.

His fingers were still running over the box as she took a pepperoni off the pizza and ate it, cute. "it's your favorite, i had to bring you your favorite." though at the mention of it being a present he just nodded at her and placed the small lilac box in front of her, a smirk on his lips. "you have to eat at least a slice of pizza first."

Yes, he was torturing the girl with it. He as also very serious about it, "then you can open it." though knowing Beverly she wasn't going to listen and she'd just tear into it. It was a test of sorts. "Can you be patient with it right in front of you?" he was soo amused he ws.

Someone who brings her pizza will get on her good side. A boyfriend that brings her pizza with extra pepperoni just the way she loves it earns a million points. And since Jeremiah knew this little game, he also knew how to cash them in. Before she could mention any of this though, Jeremiah placed a small box in front of her. In her favorite color: lilac.

She glanced up at him, surprised and curious all together. No, she couldn't be patient. Her curiosity suddenly spiked up and she WANTED to know what was in that little box. Beverly also concluded that Jeremiah was just as excited - if not more - for her to open it and see what was in there. She was sure of it since he kept checking his pocket repeatedly. Beverly weighed her curiosity and his excitement in a balance.

The Slytherin bit her bottom lip. "I can do that." She totally couldn't, but unbeknownst to her of this test, Beverly decided to play another little game. Taking a seat, she took a slice of pizza and peeled off a pepperoni, eating it sloooowly.

What was stronger: excitement or curiosity? Curiosity or excitement?

He stared at her for a long while, his hands fidgeting at his sides as she sad down and slowly, as if taunting him, ate a pepperoni. "Okay, Just Open It!" he couldn't take the waiting any longer!

That didn't last long. At all. Beverly was just about to reach for a second pepperoni when Jeremiah caved in.

Excitement. Apparently that was stronger than curiosity in this case.

"Okay, sure," she said coolly, as if she wasn't excited herself. Setting the pizza down (maybe a bit too quickly), the witch slid the box toward her. She glanced back up at Jeremiah, holding his gaze for a moment, building up the suspense. Which also affected her because the next thing she knew, she was pulling to box top off as if her life depended on it. Heh. Curiosity.

She wasn't prepared for what was inside the box, though. Honestly, she had NO idea what to find when she opened it. Maybe a tiny edible pizza, but...THIS? Wide-eyed, she looked back up at Jeremiah, and blinked at him... Then blinked some more...and some more.

Then she was face!attacking him, just like that one day up at the Owlery last term.

Of course she was going to move slow as molasses of course she was. really, the gryffindor expected nothing less from her really. Leaning on the table some he looked up as she did and held her eye contact for a few brief moments before she tore the top off the small box.

He wasn't sure what she expected to find in the box he gave her but the expression on her face a few moments later proved that she was surprised. "do you like it?" it was critical for him to know cause if he failed he was never going to try again, he was giving up. "I though since you li------

O_____________O

He was being face!attacked. She liked it, just as he hoped she would. Letting his arms slowly wrap around her middle he didn't deny her face!attacks but welcomed them by returning his own, yup he could play that one too.

Dylan made his way to the tree house, his kitten Ginger in his arms. It wasn't that bad of a day out, so he had decided to go walk about the grounds. He had almost forgotten about the tree house until he spotted it from a distance on his walk. He had then eagerly made his way over. Carefully placing Ginger in his bag, he made it more secure on his shoulder and began climbing up the tree house. Ginger poked her head out of the bag to peek at the few students playing on the ground below.

Once they reached the top, he sat on the edge of the balcony and let Ginger out. She curled up onto his lap, her chin resting on his knees as she watched everyone below. Dylan smiled, stroking her ears.