More blinding frost, sparkling so tantalizing in juxtaposed sun.
Not long had passed since the game.
The older years were still buzzing about it.
Roman hardly cared about it. Much bigger matters were on his mind.
Valentine's Day.
That day of friendly affections and sweet pink roses.
He hadn't thought too much about it at the time nor in the fuss kicked up the night after.
He, Roman Zabini, had held Logan's hand.
He still shuddered in unspoken yet instinctual disgust. Of course he was a dear friend but oh Lord, even if he did see Logan in such a way they were hardly children!
Blaise had impressed upon him that relationships required subtlety. A special kind of finesse. Least, any worth having rather than all that play he liked to pretend at.
And no bond was more solemn than first love.
*******************
Virgil had never been too fussed about those lovey junk holidays.
Ernest did enough loving for a whole class. That had always been more than enough. He could feel like neither had serious things wrong with them.
As expected he sent a parcel of treats and other things only someone so weird as he was could like. Besides the regular chocolate and sour gummy frogs was a belching frog, firecrackers, and a set of Jason Todd comics.
Though this year... he also got plenty of candy from Housemates and not just his own House but also Gryffindors and obviously Logan.
"Roman would have sent one as well, however, he doubts you would appreciate it."
And the sudden chill told him he had fully intended the snobbishness on his Pureblooded features.
Sanders dismissed their last class early.
Virgil plucked up the courage to send Roman a non threatening look. Yet his mind was still on not only last Halloween but all those whispers he would hear from all those new friends.
It was so easy for him. Infuriatingly easy for Roman Zabini, Mr. Black Widow to just dazzle others.
People like that had always given him some kind of creeps, never feeling balanced around those ones in primary.
The professor held him back. Likely since he hadn't moved from his seat once everyone else was gone, save for a worried Patton.
He gave a nod. "Go ahead, I'm fine."
The puffball muttered something but did so anyway with a swift skip.
Virgil had put the rest of his things together only for Professor Sanders to sit in front of him. "Uh hi," he said.
"Hi. Good presentation today, you worked well with your team."
"Thank you," he said reluctantly. What was this?
"Though I guess I was a little surprised. I haven't seen you guys together too often," he said.
"Been like that for awhile sir. It-- it's fine."
"Is it?" Sanders raised a brow. "I mean, you guys are great friends."
"So, Alisette and the others get better marks and all that technical research was so not my thing."
"Right, right and I'm not saying don't get on with your other classmates look I'm just gonna say it and my colleagues certainly wouldn't approve; since Fall you've looked sad and it's getting really hard to watch."
Virgil said nothing still. Besides showed what he knew.
He wasn't sad. He'd been pissed sure, definitely left out and out of place. Dare he say exposed, the memories still making him stiffen.
"I usually believe that kids need space to figure out their own problems. Listen Virge," he put a hand to his shoulder.
"No," he droned with a baleful glare to the touch.
"Okay. But I do mean it. I think you should talk to me, of course you can choose not to and I'll send you off to dinner."
He made a purple and spider webbed Nightmare Before Christmas sticker.
He preferred looking at the sticker while he spoke. "Y'know Ro's dumb old Christmas party right?"
"No."
"Nothing. He likes to make an ass of himself a lot." Thomas made a warning gesture. "Yes and. So as I was saying me and Roman just are way too different people and frankly, there is so little he cares about. Now I know that I'm not one of them."
"Huh? And what would make you say that? I'm sorry but I am pretty confused. Understand I am old."
"Not old enough it seems like," he said beginning to wonder where his brain cell was. "I just can't trust him. I tried that and next I know I'm in a huge crowd having a shouting match. I would never have done that awhile ago. And I am not into it. I totally humiliated myself and Roman's just the type of person who people follow. Whatever the Prince says goes."
"Really, cuz I used to hear no one would go within a mile of him."
"Well sure but that was stupid Pureblood stuff."
By now he had put his head down.
"I'd think he were the kind to value his friends considering he's someone who had none, well I'm off and you should be too."
Hang on. He couldn't just end a conversation like that could he?
"Don't you I dunno, have advice for me or something?"
Thomas looked legitimately surprised before smiling softly. "Just that empathy goes a long way and it's something you can get better at. So cut yourselves some slack okay. Whatever happened, you are still here Virgil and I know three people who wouldn't have it any other way."
He ushered him out the door before locking it behind him. "I hope to see you all together in my class soon, have a Happy Valentine's Day."
**********************
Whether Roman was accurate in his impression of Professor Creevey Logan nevertheless held no illusions in asking the man for assistance in his wandwork.
Even as his frustration began to mount resulting in pops of mosquitos.
Until Winona's hand halted his own, slowly guiding it in the proper upsweep.
"Oh thank you."
She nodded, prodding for him to now demonstrate.
Logan thus kept his focus on her eyes as he did the spell, feeling the tension in his shoulders slowly release.
She claimed Logan for her own when the Professor barked for them to pair off, surprising more than a few students into releasing bursts of unruly buds and flies.
