Chapter 12
Disclaimer: Don't own Hogwarts, wish I did but I don't. I also don't own Starkid, though I am a major fan.
The train station was littered with newly formed couples of the previous night's ball. Among the crowd Joime were huddled together over by one of the many medium sized Christmas trees and Lo and Joe were standing arms linked, hands intertwined, staring deeply into each other eyes. The remaining group of friends looked from one couple to the other, almost in disbelief. Not only twenty four hours ago Meredith and Lauren were at each other's throats fighting over Jaime's new boyfriend. What a difference a day makes. The group of students soon grew bored of ogling their friends and waiting on a magically train that somehow never arrived on time. Their thoughts turned to their holiday plans.
"Well, my parents, Lo and I are going back to Disney world. I can't wait, it's been so long and it's always so exciting! I feel like an eleven year old again! What are you guys doing?" Denise asked. She barely finished speaking before Julia jumped in.
"Me and Effie are getting puppy! Well, Effie kind of already has the puppy; they got it early. My parents told me in a letter they sent last week. She's a German Shepard and Effie named her after me. Isn't that cute?" Julia blurted out. The girls looked her in confusion before Meredith asked what the rest were thinking. "The dog's called Julia?"
"No, wizard god, no. What an awful name for an animal. No, she called him Curly because of the way my hair looks." Julia scoffed trying hard not to hide her laugh. Charlene was next to answer.
"I'm not doing much; me and the family are just staying at home for Christmas this year." Brian and Meredith nodded along to this before adding "same". The group of friends continued to talk until they saw Lauren pull Joe towards them. The friends all stood awkwardly, looking anywhere but at Joe. Meredith looked up, Brian and JoMo chose to look at their feet, Darren and Julia were whispering to each other, Dylan pretended to watch for the train and Denise and Charlene turned towards Joime who had also decided to join the group. The whole group was all now looking in different directions, all feeling slightly weird. Meredith was starting to get bored and annoyed, she glanced at each of her friends before speaking.
"So, I think that we class the Yule Ball as a success?" Her friends began to chuckle, even Joe and Joey joined in. The group exchanged presents while Joey and Joe looked in. Lauren and Jaime didn't leave their new boyfriends side once. When the train finally arrived the group did their signature overly long group hug that lasted just enough time for every to say goodbye. Tears were in everyone's eyes as the embrace parted. Feeling the tension in the air Meredith, Brian, Julia, Darren, Dylan, JoMo, Denise and Charlene called goodbye to their friends before boarding the train, leaving Joime and the newly named Laurwalk alone. Laurwalk turned to look at one another. Lo felt overpoweringly upset as this as she knew this was there time to say goodbye. She had only been out with Joe once yet it felt like she had known him for years. She felt his blue irises blur with her brown. It might just have been her but she thought she saw him tear up as he pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I know this sounds sappy but I'm really going to miss you. Promise me you'll write to me, please." He whispered softly in her ear. She tried and failed to shallow the lump in her throat. She nodded, trying not to show that she was almost crying.
"Of course I will." She sobbed lightly into his shoulder. He gently stepped back and tilted her head up, brushing a tear away from her cheek with his free hand before tenderly kissing her. They stayed like that for a few minutes before she felt a familiar and on her shoulder. Denise stood behind her, looking slightly awkward.
"Sorry to interrupt but the trains about to leave, you might want to get on it." She muttered before turning in the direction of Joime who were lip locked in a distance corner. "Oh boy, yet another couple to interrupt, it's my lucky day" She grumbled almost silently under her breath. When she left Lauren and Joe said goodbye one last time before they got on different carriages. As Lauren turned she saw an irritated Denise march up beside her.
"Remind me to ignore that git Jaime when we return. Try to be helpful and you get called nosey, typical, at least its Christmas. Disneyland here we come." Denise's voice slowly became positive, putting one arm around her glooming looking sister.
"Yeah, Disneyland" Lauren smiled, she was going to miss Joe but who could be upset at Disneyland?