Arabella had spent a total of three hours in their dormitory (they had promptly kicked Zoe and Erin out in the second hour), both stressing and perfecting their Yule Ball dresses where they would be meeting their dates at the bottom of the staircase. Deanna was attending the dance with Michael Corner, and although she would never tell him, the poor girl had to use him as a last resort because nobody else had asked her. In fact, it was so last minute, that she only knew she was going with him two days prior.

"I can't believe I have to dance with Viktor in front of the school. Let's hope he can dance, because I sure as Merlin can't." Bella moaned while slipping on her red heels. Her dress was red too, allegedly to match Viktor's Durmstrang outfit, but secretly Bella also bought it because it matched her fiery ginger hair.

"Yeah, but Harry Potter practically has two left feet, and he's got to dance too. At least you're not as bad as he is." Deanna mumbled while applying lipstick. "And your date is a Bulgarian Quidditch hunk. Michael is a shaggy-haired hormonal boy with a squirrel for a Patronus."

Bella snorted with laughter. "That's true, I suppose."

Moments after, the two Ravenclaws opened the dormitory doors together. Walking slow down the steps (to be careful of not slipping and breaking their ankles), they were soon across the courtyard where the sky and the grass were white with flurries of snow. Following some familiar faces, including Erin with her date Anthony Goldstein, they entered the hall in awe.

The room was filled with hues of silver and icy reflects of blue; icicles hung from the ceiling like chandeliers. Statues complimented the room among the mass of students, of whom were crowded around the seemingly empty stage. In the middle of the room was the dance floor, making the redhead swallow hard at the thought of the dance.

Arabella pointed towards the buffet table when she saw a mop of black hair. "There's Michael. Go say hi and I'll find Viktor." She spoke to Deanna.

Her friend groaned. "Uh, fine."

Bella sighted Viktor swiftly - he had joined the rest of the Champions and their dates in a formal line within the entryway of the Great Hall. She joined his side, linking her arm with his, and the music started; signalling for the four pairs to began their walk to the middle of the well-decorated room.

Every other student was clapping for the Champions; each of them sending smiling, warm gazes which made Arabella's heart flutter (although their grins were incomparable to the way Viktor's smile made her feel when he looked at her).

Professor Flitwick tapped his baton upon the sheet music, and the orchestra erupted into a different cacophony - instigating the start of the dance.

Viktor gripped Bella's waist and, as he did so, guided her hand upon his broad shoulder where she internally thanked him with a weak chuckle. "You look very pretty," the Bulgarian complimented.

Arabella's smile widened, staring awkwardly at the ground as they danced. "Wasn't that one of the first things you said to me when we met? Apart from the time we knocked into each other, of course." She didn't understand in that moment why she had been so terrified to dance with Viktor Krum. He, as always, made it look and feel so easy; so natural, when she was with him. In fact, she wasn't even worrying about how her feet were carried along the stone floor, because he was guiding them with his utmost finesse.

Viktor laughed - his eyes widening in recognition. "Yeah it was."

Many of the Professors and other students quickly joined the dance floor, putting Bella at ease when she saw friends; Deanna, Eleanor, even Fred and George. The Ravenclaw smiled at her younger sister laughing with her date. Laura Madley was a girl that Eleanor had mentioned all too often, and Bella could see why. Laura was undoubtedly beautiful - they both were - and if Eleanor was happy then so was she.

Arabella gasped in surprise when Viktor lifted her, spinning around in unison with the other Champions before her feet found the floor again. She laughed into his chest, one covered with Bulgarian fur and silky red clothing, but his chest nonetheless.

Within minutes the dance was finished - albeit the floor being filled with students and Professors - but Bella found it arguably hard to breathe on the dance floor, so she guessed that everybody else did also.

Viktor took her hand, allowing them to escape from the commotion when a mosh pit had formed at the front of the stage. They stopped by the array of icicle statues where he gently placed her pale hand upon his lips, and from that moment, Arabella Flannery decided that the touch of Viktor Krum's lips was her definition of heaven; without even needing to know what they tasted like upon hers.

But she was sure that they tasted like heaven, too.

"I will get drinks." He stated, and she found herself only able to nod. The girl was too busy staring at his lips again, when he spoke, and she mentally slapped herself for doing so.

Once Bella had found a surprisingly comfortable spot in the snowy courtyard (where she had one of Viktor's fur shawls wrapped around her to keep herself warm), she was abruptly approached by Fred and George where she was startled by their sudden erratic yelling. The redhead couldn't help but laugh, though - she had undeniably missed their bursts of energy. "You boys are acting like howler monkeys."

The twins sat either side of her on a bench that the Ravenclaw had previously acclaimed. "Whassup, Bella?" George asked in a goofy tone which made her realise just how much she had missed their company; but it still hurt to see them avoiding hers.

"Nothing actually, George. Waiting for Viktor to get drinks. Where are your dates, anyway?"

Fred moved in closer so that his elbow could playfully nudge her ribs. "We're waiting for them to get drinks." He teased mockingly, but Arabella just laughed again.

"Speaking of waiting," she sighed. "I don't want to keep spending every day wishing you would talk to me. We used to be best friends."

Fred moved away again, unable to look at his friend in the eyes. Instead, he focused his gaze on the snow that covered his dress shoes. "George and I have agreed, I think, that dumb Krum has affected our friendship without any of us even knowing that he has."

"Dumb Krum? Is that what you call him?" Arabella spat. For what felt like the first time since they were third-years, she was disgusted with her best friends.

George placed a reassuring hand upon her shoulder, only for her to flinch when his hand touched the red fabric of her dress. "It was just a nickname that stuck ever since the World Cup. To annoy Ron, y'know."

Arabella stood up for her seat, abruptly and angrily. "Never mind annoying Ron; it's annoyed me. So have you, George . . . and you, Fred. You don't even seem the slightest bit bothered about the fact that, until now, we haven't talked in weeks. It concerns me that you don't even care."

George's expression turned solemn. "Of course we care. We just felt like you preferred Krum's company to ours, and Fred and I were starting to accept that."

"But I don't accept that you think that. Sure, I enjoy Viktor's company, but I enjoy yours too. I missed you, boys." Tears welled in her eyes. "Or, at least I thought I did."

Bella left the courtyard with a wound in her heart, feeling as though she had lost two friends that, evidently, had begun to cloud her mind with disappointment; she had rather foolishly hoped to gain them instead.

But her saddened heart momentarily swelled with the slightest bit of joy when she saw Viktor again, holding drinks. He had become engrossed in conversation with other Durmstrang students, and part of Arabella was reluctant to disturb him, but the moment he laid eyes on her, the Seeker was able to recognise that something was wrong (she was never good at hiding her emotions - her facial expressions always somehow spoke volumes).

He hurriedly said goodbyes to his school acquaintances and grabbed Bella by the waist, bringing her in close to his hip where she found herself instantly wrapping her arms around his muscular figure. "What is it, Bella?"

She couldn't say; when she tried to, all she did was choke.

"I don't think I'm ever going to speak to Fred and George again." She finally mumbled through pathetic sobs. "I used to stay with them every Christmas, Vik. And now this year I'm spending it without them because of my overreacting."

"But you have me," he said, gently pulling her into a real embrace.

She forced a grin at his words of affection, although it didn't fulfil her sadness how she thought it would. "In an ideal world, Viktor, I would have you, Fred and George."

Viktor smiled back at her lovingly when they released from each other's embrace. "But this is not an ideal world, Bella."

He cupped her tear-stained cheeks with his large hands and, almost instinctively, their lips found each other's. His fingers travelled up the middle of her back, bringing her close where her arms wrapped around his neck. They pushed into the kiss, allowing Bella to savour the taste of his lips (she could confirm that they did in fact taste like heaven) as her fingers knotted through his dark hair. She noted that he smelled of saltwater and pine wood, creating a concoction of scents mixed with the coconut shampoo once in her hair, and the flowery perfume that she wore.

Viktor had decided, from that moment, that he adored the smell of flowers and coconut almost as much as he adored her.

They pulled away when footsteps were heard approaching their area, which was uncommon as there were not many people left in the hall. Arabella turned around swiftly at the sound, eyes widening when Harry Potter stood sheepishly behind them. "Sorry, uh, I was just looking for Ron."

The girl laughed, her face turning a hue of red possibly just as bright as her hair. "That's ok, Harry. Ron's gone back to his dorm, I think." She looked at Viktor, then back at Harry again. "Please try not to tell anyone about this; I don't think I would be able to suffer the endless publicity from Rita Skeeter if word got out that Viktor and I are . . . romantically involved with each other."

The bespectacled boy's head titled sarcastically. "Since when? I never would've guessed."

Viktor took a step forward, placing a hand on Bella's shoulder. He smiled and rolled his eyes at Harry's sarcasm, making the younger boy awkwardly nod and turn away, where he made a prompt exit up the staircase.

Arabella turned to Viktor. "Thinking about it, I don't really care what anyone thinks - even Rita Skeeter. That kiss said more words than anything ever could." She admitted. "Merry Christmas, Viktor."

"Merry Christmas, Bella."

Ik ik I'm awful at writing romantic scenes I'm just hella awkward ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But my cuties have kissed now yayayay !!

Bit sad about Fred & George being no longer friends with Arabella :( but they'll make up in the end dw!