Elphaba couldn't sleep.
Outside, a snow storm was raging, rattling the window shutters and howling like someone in pain.
She put a light in the lantern on her bedstand ans got out of her bed.
As soon as her feet hit the ground, the cold was creeping inside her legs and she started shivering.
It was freezing in the dorm room.
She quickly put on a robe and shoes and left the room as quietly as possible.
As she was drowsily walking through the corridors, she wondered how her roommate was even able to sleep so peacefully, with a storm like this rumbling above them.
As she walked, the flickering light of her lantern casted bizarre shadows on the walls, but Elphaba wasn't scared of them anymore, she had been walking these corridors by night too often already.
She ultimately arrived at the library, her favourite space in the whole of Shiz University.
The librarian had long since given her a key, because Elphaba was frequenting the library more than her own room.
She set the lantern down on a table and fired up the little oven in the corner.
Then she wandered about the rows of books, searching for any title that caught her eye.
Eventually, she settled for a book titled 'A Christmas Carol'.
She had never heard the word 'Christmas' before nor could she think of its origin. Maybe the book was from another land?
That wouldn't be something happening too seldomly in the humongous variety of books Shiz' University library had to offer.
After having read a couple of verses from what seemed to be something poetry-like, she realised that whatever this 'Christmas' was, employed similar customs like Lurlinemas.
Elphaba got entangled quickly in the story, fascinated with the ghosts and the bitterness of the main character.
She was so captured by her lecture that she didn't notice someone coming up behind her.
When the person suddenly put their hand on her shoulder, she flinched and let out a small scream.
"I didn't mean to startle you, I'm sorry!"
"Fiyero, what in Oz are you doing here at this time!"
"I might as well ask you the same question, Miss Thropp."
Elphaba vaguely pointed at the window.
"The storm. I couldn't get a wink of sleep."
"See, the same goes for me. And then I dared to look out of the window and I saw a light flickering down here. I knew it could only be you."
"You...did?"
Elphaba was honestly surprised.
Had he been aware of her nightly trips to the library?
"You are the only person I know who is crazy enough about books to sit in the library in the middle of the night."
"It helps me get tired when I can't sleep", Elphaba explained defensively.
"I completely understand, but wouldn't it be much easier to just sit up in bed and read there? I'm sure you have half of the library up there anyways."
"It's not the same. I have already read every single book I own, but down here the book supply seems to be endless. A new world for me to discover everytime I visit."
"That...actually sounds very nice", Fiyero noted and they both were quiet for a moment, the fire subtly worked away in the oven.
"Nice nightgown, by the way", Fiyero remarked awkwardly to break the silence.
Elphaba, however, could have well done without this compliment as it made her cheeks flush.
She had completely forgotten in what kind of ridiculous attire she currently walked around!
"Thank you, I - think", she replied as indifferent as possible, cautiously avoiding his look.
"I suppose we should try to go back to sleep again", Elphaba suggested after another short conversation pause and flipped the book shut.
Then she extinguished the fire in the oven and sweeped up her lantern.
"Let's go."
She carefully locked the library door again and started walking into the direction of her dorm room.
"Elphaba, wait, you have to look at this!"
She turned around and stepped next to Fiyero, who was looking at something outside of the window.
"Look at how beautiful it is!"
"And that is coming from the Vinkun that lives in the desert!", Elphaba mocked him.
But it was true, the storm had mostly calmed down and had left a wonderfully smooth and sparkling layer of thick snow and ice on everything.
The snow went so high it even covered part of the window and there were long icicles hanging from every edge.
"Maybe winter isn't that bad after all", Fiyero said and Elphaba grinned.
"Glinda will be thrilled to hear that."
"Don't you dare tell her I said that, I won't ever be able to stay inside again! Promise me you won't tell her!"
"I promise", Elphaba answered seriously and gave him a woeful smile.
The fact that he was Glinda's boyfriend made this whole situation so difficult!
All that she could think of since the incident with the snow trumpets was the feeling of Fiyero's lips on hers and everytime she looked at him, a wave of affection ran through her body.
"I think I should go now", she said and Fiyero nodded.
"I should go as well. Have a good night, and sweet dreams!"
"Sweet dreams to you, too", Elphaba laughed and made her way back to her dorm with her heart beating fast.