[Corridors] Let Them See Your Smile

[Olivia Costa]

It looked so beautiful outside, Olivia just wanted to run out and jump into the snow. But, she had to be careful. With the snow always came very chilly weather, and she couldn't very well handle that. Growing up, Liv had always been a rather sickly child, catching almost every disease that came her way. That might've been one reason why she seemed to delicate.

Olivia trailed her hand lightly across the rail, lost in her own thoughts. She was supposed to go home for the Christmas break, but William had come down with a flu of some sort, so it wasn't safe for her to be near him. Her mother sent a letter of apologies and hoped she was getting along well. She promised that she would send Liv's gift soon.

In the letter, her mother had suggested that she should spend the Christmas break with her friends, but she still didn't have many close friends. Gray was one, she supposed, but she wasn't sure what he was doing for Christmas. Plus, she didn't want to be a burden to him. He probably had his other friends and family that he needed to worry about.

There were so few students here, it was rather odd. Nobody was running through the hallways at all to get to classes, and no friends chatting it up in the corridors. The silence was slightly eerie, but not all together uncommon. Olivia leaned against the railing, looking down at the stairs below her. They shifted every few moments, breaking through the silence in the hallways.

It was a rare sight, to see Olivia like this. She actually let her guard down, not caring at the moment what emotion was on her face, or how her posture was. With only a few students left at Hogwarts. she doubted any would recognize her anyway.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash wandered through the halls lost in thought, people were finally starting to stop talking about his engagement, and for that he was happy. It was none of their damn business anyway, if he wanted to marry Cris, then he would. And nothing, and no one was going to stop him. Althought at times he couldn't help but think, had it been the right choice? Could he and Cris stay together? Could they keep a commitment they made at such a young age?

Ash smiled. Yes, they could. If they tried hard, and worked together, they could do anything, overcome any obstacle. Just look at all the stuff they'd already been through. The Laney and Maxi episode, Fay and Bray deciding that they hated Ash, Alexa's death, the jeers about their engagement. They'd been through so much together, and each time, they came out of it stronger than ever.

Ash loved Cris, and he knew Cris loved him. He couldn't imagine life without Cris. Still smiling and humming softly to himself, Ash managed to stumble into someone. Again. That seemed to be Ash's 'special little talent', stumbling into people. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you." he apolgized.

[Olivia Costa]

Humming, that was what she heard. It was slowly drawing closer, and she shut her eyes, silently pretending that she wasn't there. Maybe the person could walk past her. Don't stop. Don't stop. She chanted silently in her head, her eyes still screwed shut.

There was a slight pause in the person's step, and suddenly a force was falling onto her. Liv opened her eyes with a gasp and stumbled back. At least she managed to catch herself on the railing, otherwise she would be tumbling down the stairs by now. That wasn't very good at all now was it?

"It's..it's fine. No harm done."

She mumbled quietly, her eyes fixed on the ground. Olivia stole a glance up at the person, and immediately recognized him. Ashton Laurent, formerly McLane, was standing before her. She heard his name whispered a few times, but never payed close attention to what people were talking about. Rumors never concerned her.

A light blush crept up to her cheeks when Ashton didn't immediately move away from her. She felt rather foolish, just standing there. But, it wasn't like she was going to say anything anyway, Olivia wasn't the largest conversationalist.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash smiled, "Sorry bout that, I have a tendency to not look where I'm going." he replied, French accent thick today. "You didn't go home for the Holidays either, huh?"

((Blegh...sorry. Kris has writer's block. Ick))

[Olivia Costa]

Olivia glanced back up at him and smiled hesitantly. He was probably just talking to her because his friends had gone somewhere for Christmas. She accepted that fact a while ago with some people. Sometime, people just felt the need to tell her their problems, because they knew she kept secrets so well. It was a burden many times, having to know so much about someone.

"My little brother is sick, so I couldn't go home."

Again, she replied in a soft voice, and her eyes shifted down to look at her feet. Poor little William. She could just imagine how he would feel when he found out that she would not be coming home for Christmas. Where's Issy? Issy, Issy come home! The childish voice rang in her head. Her eyes tightened.

"Aren't you doing something for Christmas?"

Olivia made sure that her sadness was wiped clean from her face when she looked back up at Ashton. French. His accent was french. That was a given, considering his last name. Liv's mother never really liked the French, for whatever reason. Then again, Olivia's mother didn't like many types of people, only her own family usually.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash frowned sympathetically, "Aw, I'm sorry. But, why can't you go home?" he asked, a little confused. Ash smiled when she asked what he was doing, "Not much, just spending the Holidays here at the castle with my sister and fiancé. Other than that, nothing really. You?"

[Olivia Costa]

"No need to apologize, it's not your fault that I can't go."

Olivia tugged at her sweater sleeve as she spoke, a nervous habit she had picked up somewhere in her life. When he inquired why she couldn't go, her face began to redden again. She really needed to get that blushing thing under control.

"I, erm, catch diseases very easily. Some simple things can sometimes be dangerous for me, so my mother is just being cautious."

Liv shrugged lightly and looked back up at Ash. She grinned slightly at his description. "Congradulations on your engagement then. And I'm happy you have some people to spend your Christmas with."

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash smiled, "Oh, that must suck. Thanks. I'm glad I have too."