It was a cold January morning and Milena had dressed herself in a warm sweater and some casual jeans to meet with Ivan. She had told him to meet her outside the Great Hall since that's where they always seemed to run into each other.
"Hello Milena," he greeted with a smile, his hands in his front pockets.
"Hi Ivan," she greeted back. "You ready to see every nook of this school I can think of?"
"Of course," he said.
The two began their tour around the school that Milena knew would take them hours if she actually showed him everything. So, she opted to show him her favourite places around the school and a few important places to remember. They wandered around for a while, showing him where the kitchen was hidden (which she only knew thanks to the twins), the astronomy tower and where every bathroom she could think of was located. After over an hour of walking around and looking at every little place Milena could think of, they made it to the library where a few students were reading or preparing for classes which would be returning very soon.
"So, here is our school's library, it's a great place for studying and reading when you want a quiet place," Milena explained. "Well, except for when Fred and George choose it as their target for pranks, but they don't pick here too often."
Ivan slightly rolled his eyes at her joke about Fred and George and continued to scan around the room.
"Of course they vould," he said.
"What?"
"Vell I've heard a few things about them, they just sound like a lot to handle," Ivan said.
He began to walk further into the library, reading the signs for where certain books are. His eyes then fell on the sign above a locked area of the library and he read it out loud.
"Restricted section." He read. "Vhy is it restricted?"
"Oh it's for older students with professor's permission and professor's to study from," Milena quickly explained. "But can we go back to the twins for a second? What do you mean 'you've heard a few things?'"
"People have just told me stories of these pranks they like to pull and the ones that have gone a little too far." Ivan explained. "If I had to deal vith them, I think I'd lose it."
"Well they are actually quite good people when you get to know them," Milena defended. "I mean they can definitely be a handful, yes, but it's always in good fun."
"If you say so," Ivan said, starting to look through a nearby bookshelf. "Vould you like to sit for a little vhile?"
"Uh yeah sure," Milena said, following him to a table where they sat down across from each other.
"I trust that you know vhat you're doing, you obviously have a history vith them, I just think a girl like you deserves better than someone as immature as him." He explained. Something in the tone of his voice felt condescending, like he was talking down to her.
"Oh you do?" Milena retorted.
"Yes I do."
"Well thank you for your concern, but I think I'm alright."
"I'm sure you are, you seem quite strong." He said.
The two sat in silence for a moment, Ivan still seemed to be scanning the library, trying to memorize where everything was in the room.
"Well... would you like to go back to the main courtyard, maybe see the owlery and the quidditch pitch?" Milena asked, just trying to break the silence.
"Sure." He said in his usual friendly tone as if he wasn't just speaking poorly of anyone.
They left the library and walked back to the entrance of the courtyard, taking them a few minutes to get there. Milena had her jacket with her, knowing she'd probably want to show off the quidditch pitch at some point. The two didn't actually go to the pitch as it had been closed off for the Triwizard tournament. From the school courtyard, you could see the snow-covered pitch almost perfectly. Milena pointed towards it to show Ivan where it was.
"That down there is our quidditch pitch, where we would normally play, not this year though for obvious reasons." Milena explained. "I was a little bummed when Dumbledore said there would be no quidditch this year."
"Oh do you play?" Ivan asked.
"Yeah, I've been on the team since third year as a chaser." Milena said.
"Are you any good?"
"I mean I tend to score a lot of our points I think, so I don't think I'm too bad." Milena said. "But I'm sure if we had Ginny, Fred's little sister, on the team, she'd blow me out of the water."
Ivan nodded along to what she was saying.
"Do you play?" Milena asked.
"I'm not on our team, I just like to play casually, but I'm a big fan." He explained. "Maybe I'll get to vatch you play some time."
"Maybe if I become a professional player, you'll see me everywhere," Milena joked.
"I can't say I vould mind that." Ivan said, stepping a little closer to her side.
"Um... yeah..." Milena said. "Anyways... I can't think of much else too exciting to show you."
"Vell, you don't need to show me anymore. Vhy don't ve just enjoy each other's company?" Ivan suggested, inching his way even closer to Milena and her taking a step back.
"Listen Ivan, you seem like a nice guy and all, but I think I'm really only interested in being friends with you." Milena explained, trying to step away again.
With each step Milena took, trying to step away from him, he would take two more as if he didn't hear what she had just said.
"Just friends? You're telling me you don't feel something between us?" He asked.
"No... not really..."
He stopped moving and his expression dropped at her words, his face growing angrier.
"Vhat does that Veasley boy have that I don't?"
"No that's not the problem-"
"Then vhat is?"
"I just don't see you that way." Milena blurted.
Ivan stood for a second, giving Milena a moment to step back again from him. His face had switched from a cocky smirk to frustrated anger and his eyes locked onto her face. His brows had furrowed and he had pulled his arms in to cross them. His jaw seemed to tighten up as he searched his brain for what to say next.
"Fine." He said. "Vhy don't you go back to the Veasley boy then."
He quickly stormed off in heated anger, heading back inside towards the school. Milena stood there and watched him as he stomped into the castle, completely in shock as to what had just happened. She barely knew this boy who was basically throwing himself at her and he was now angry that she didn't like him back? And now she was going to have to go back to the common room and explain to Fred that her plan to make him a little jealous had completely failed. Milena was way too stubborn for that though.
Ivan had completely disappeared into the castle, so Milena took a deep breath and walked herself back into the school as well. She stepped inside, pulling off her winter jacket, hat, and scarf and began her walk back to the common room, thinking of all the things she could say to make Fred just a little more jealous. She just knew she wouldn't tell him a single word of what Ivan had actually said.
When she entered the common room, she saw that not too many people were sitting around. It was a nice day, so most people had either gone out to enjoy the snowy weather or were preparing for classes that were starting in two days. Sitting on the couch by himself, next to the fireplace was Fred who was playing with a balled up piece of paper and seemed to be lost in his thoughts.
"Got a lot going on up there for once?" Milena teased, plopping herself down next to him.
"I actually managed to have a full thought today," Fred joked. "Honestly, hurt a little bit."
"A full thought? Must've been painful." Milena teased, patting his leg that was now across her lap.
"So, how was your little date with Mr. Durmstrang?" Fred asked.
"It was not a date and we had an... interesting time." Milena hesitated.
"An interesting time?" Fred raised an eyebrow.
"We had a good time... I showed him the... library..."
"Ah yes, the library, the most extraordinary part of the school. Perfect for any newcomer to enjoy." Fred said sarcastically.
"Hey! I like the library!" Milena defended a little.
"I know you do... nerd." Fred teased. Milena poked out her tongue at him.
"I'm surprised you're not out with the others or pulling some kind of prank or something today. It's a really nice day." Milena said.
"Well they asked me to go join them out in the snow, but I didn't really wanna go out in the cold." Fred lied.
"You didn't want to go out in the snow? Since when do you pass up the opportunity to throw a snowball at someone?" Milena asked.
"I don't know." Fred shrugged, tossing the balled up paper into the air again. "Just didn't feel like it."
"You weren't waiting for me to come back were you?"
"No... of course not... Just didn't wanna get this amazing sweater of mine all wet in the snow." Fred lied again with a grin.
"Mhm, if you say so." Milena nodded.
"I do say so."
"Uh huh... you were definitely waiting for me." Milena whispered under her breath, just loud enough for Fred to hear.
"I was not!"
"Was too!"
"Was not!"
"Was too!"
"I was not waiting for you!" Fred shouted, holding back his laughter.
"You are a terrible liar, Fred Weasley," Milena grinned, poking his chest.
"I am a great liar," Fred defended, patting a hand on his chest where Milena had poked him.
"Oh so you admit you were lying!" Milena smirked.
"I admit to nothing!" Fred said, dramatically turning his head away and crossing his arms.
As he turned his head away from her, he tilted his face upwards just a little, unintentionally putting his jawline on display as his hair fell back a little. Milena had never really fully taken in his side profile before as he had never actually given her the chance to do so. He was such a restless guy, it was hard to ever get a chance to take a good look at him, but in that moment, her smirk changed to a soft smile as she looked over his face, back to his jawline, down his neck...
"Besides, you have nothing to prove it." Fred said, turning his smug look back to face Milena. He waited for a second, expecting for her to retort something back to him, but when she didn't say anything, he noticed the look on her face. She had a gentle smile and a softness in her eyes. She sat there, staring at his eyes, as if she had a million thoughts going through her head, but he knew which one was the loudest.
"Okay... so maybe I did wait for you..." He said quietly, starting to lean into her, but her smile changed back to a smirk again and she pulled back, jumping from her seat.
"Ha! I knew it!" Milena cheered.
Fred fell forward onto the couch, face planting into the cushion and laying there for a moment. He then turned his face towards Milena, still laying on the couch and pointed at her.
"You're evil, you know," he said, his face slightly red.
"You know you love me," Milena smiled.
"Eh..." Fred jokingly shrugged, sitting himself back up again.
"You think the others will still be outside?" Milena asked.
"Yeah probably, they didn't leave too long ago." Fred answered.
"Well, now that you don't have to wait for me anymore, want to go join them?" Milena suggested.
"Yeah alright," Fred agreed.
The two left the common room together and went out to search for their friends. When they finally found them, the group had already built two small walls of snow and were pummeling each other with snowballs. Almost out of instinct, Fred went and joined George's side, ducking down behind the little wall they had built. Milena did the same, but on the opposite side, ducking down with Angelina instead who had quickly gestured for Milena to join her.
As Milena gathered snow together and formed a few quick snowballs, she peeked over the top of the wall and was almost immediately met with snow in her face, knocking her backwards a little. She could hear Fred laughing from the other side as she wiped the snow from her face. She knew she needed to get even so in seconds she formed a plan.
"Angie, I need you to distract the boys for me," Milena whispered. "I have a little present for Fred."
"You got it!" Angelina said, making herself a target for the boys.
While they were distracted by Angelina who was now flinging snowballs at lightning speed, Milena snuck her way around the side of her wall and slowly crept around and behind Fred. With a large snowball in hand and a distracted Weasley, it was the perfect time for her to strike. With no hesitation, Milena grabbed the back of Fred's jacket and stuffed all the snow she could fit down the jacket. Fred let out a yelp as the freezing snow slid down his back and Milena jumped back, laughing. Fred began to quickly pull at his jacket and shirt, trying to get the snow out before whipping around to see Milena laughing at his little dance he did.
"Oh, you're gonna pay for that, you sneak," Fred said, standing up from his snow wall.
As soon as he stood, Milena realized the mistake she had made and made a run for it back to her side, Fred chasing after her. While Milena was quite fast, Fred had the advantage of being taller and he was able to catch up to her. His arm scooped around her waist to her front and as she struggled to try and escape, she just ended up pulling herself forward, Fred along with her and the two toppled over into the snow. She tried to get back up, but Fred was using his knee on her leg to keep her where she was.
"Fred please!" Milena laughed.
"I'm sorry, Mills," Fred said, gathering up a bunch of snow. "But you have to pay."
"Fred, wait-!" Milena shouted, but Fred had already begun shoveling snow down the back of her shirt and she let out a screech at the cold feeling on her back.
"And just for good measure," Fred said, picking up some more snow and lightly smacking it onto her face.
Fred lifted his knee off of her leg and stood up again. He held out a hand for Milena who was laying in a pile of snow and looked very red. Regret was all over her face and she was slightly shivering, but nonetheless she still found it funny. She grabbed his outstretched hand and he pulled her from the snow.
"Now who's the evil one?" Milena teased, shivering more.
"Still debatable." He smirked.