Nicola was feeling under the weather, again. She really couldn’t nip this flu or whatever it was in the bud. She really didn’t want to disappoint Headmistress Snark and being ill would no doubt accomplish that. They were days away from needed to head off to France, which honestly was the last thing Nicola really wished to be doing. Not that mushy holidays were important to Nicola, she did sort of wish to spend Valentine’s Day with Gavin. They two had barely spent much time together since they got back from holidays. A few blissful weeks of vacation and now she was feeling the lack of Gavin in her life. It took a few days to get comfortable in her bed again. Waking up without Gavin by her side was a little starling the first few days back. Then again, she had felt the same way at the start of the school year.

It was disappointing to have to schedule in time with ones boyfriend, but that was currently what Nicola was faced with. With the coming trip it was increasingly busy being Analiza’s personal assistant. Not the most glamorous job at all, and what disappointed her friends and family most was the potential she had. Nicola didn’t want to be an unspeakable, well for a brief moment she had but the appeal had slightly vanished when the great Analiza Snark decided to become headmistress. She had been trilled about the idea of working along side the fiery redhead down in the department of mysteries. Nicola knew she would not remain a personal assistant forever. She was young yet, not even a full year out of Hogwarts. She just wanted to decide what career path was right for her. Perhaps she would eventually find herself in the department of mysteries, but for the time being she was just happy where she was.

Nicola sat outside in the courtyard wrapped up in a few sweaters, many of which Gavin would recognize. She looked out at the frosted ground and smiled. She would have missed Hogwarts this year, but here she was a graduate and still around. She heard the sound of people’s voices. They seemed to be talking about the latest gossip. Nicola was definitely out of the loop at Hogwarts, but that was not something she missed. Nicola rubbed her hands together in an attempt to keep them warm. She looked down at the clipboard next to her. That stupid clipboard had become her life.

When Nicola broke the news that she was going to France to tag along with his sister, Gavin most defiantly did not like the idea. Even though Gavin knew she was getting paid to be his sister's shadow, her being in a different country without his protection was against his better judgment. Who knew what things could happen over there. After a few days Gavin had to get used to the idea and just forcefully smile every time the trip popped into their conversation. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't a good idea but he knew he would be called a overprotected boyfriend. And what if he was? What was the harm in that? Besides, Nicola was sick and did not need to travel.

For most of the morning Gavin was in the library, catching up on his homework that had been neglected for days. With his school work added in with Nicola's work, they had no time together. They were lucky to get to see each other a few moments everyday which was totally different from what they were used to back home. Gavin would've loved to speak to his sister, demanding her to give Nic a break once in a while but of course that was never going to happen for he knew his sister to well. She was probably testing Nicola to see if she could keep up with her. At first Gavin was a bit worried when he heard the two were going to work together for he knew it would either bring Ana and Nic closer, or would destroy Nicola's and Gavin's relationship. He had a lot of respect for his sister. She raised him after all and her opinion probably mattered more than anyone in the world.

Gavin slammed the last of his textbooks shut and was about to through it against the wall until he caught sight of the librarian. He was done with work for the day. He was done with school for the day! Feeling disgusted with his 17 inch paper he had just finished writing for History of Magic, Gavin packed up and left the library. A few moments later he found himself outside and his eyes zoomed in on Nicola practically. He had no idea that she was going to be here but for some reason he felt her presence. He quietly ran up behind her and put his arm around her. Kissing her on the cheek softly, he turned her to face him. "Why are you outside in this weather?" Gavin said eying her attire. She looked like she was cold for she had practically a million sweaters on.

Nicola nearly screamed at the feeling of arms being wrapped around her. The feeling only lasted a moment when she realized who it was. The body felt so familiar and in that second her heart stopped racing and she felt a sense of calm. She felt his warm lips against her cheek bringing a smile to her lips. Being turned to face him she shrugged her shoulders. “I just needed some fresh air.” Nicola had really felt like she needed it a few minutes ago. She no longer felt like she was going to be sick with the sudden rush of fresh air into her lungs.

She placed a hand on his cheeks and kissed his lips with a short kiss. “And before you start worrying, stop.” She knew he was going to start fretting about the reason she once again needed a breath of fresh air. Nicola was starting to worry herself as to this sudden bout of flu she seemed to have. She had waves of nausea and a feeling of exhaustion. She was fed up of feel like this but she figured she was just run down from work and caught something. Nicola was attempting to hide it so as not to worry Gavin, he had enough to worry about.

“So, how is it that we both have a bit of free time together that is unscheduled?” Nicola had chalked up her time up to the fact she had rushed to get some things done this morning. She was curious as to how Gavin seemed to have a moment to spend with her. Nicola remembered how time consuming her NEWTs year was. She could imagine it any less difficult or time consuming, especially with some of the professors that now graced the corridors. She had heard some of the students complaining. It was probably no easy feat with the changing faces that seemed a little out of the ordinary this year. Nicola didn’t think Ana was that terrible.

Nicola stopped Gavin from saying something about her health with a kiss, she knew him to well. He rolled his eyes and sat down. He didn't like her staying outside when she had the flu but he couldn't blame her for wanting some fresh air. It usually was the cure to a queasy stomach. "Have you ate something yet?" he asked her. He already felt the urge to say something else but he was trying to be nice. The last time he warned Nicola about her health a few days ago she yelled at him, which he felt was uncalled for but there was no reason to fight with her. If she got even more sick then it was her own stupidity and she wouldn't be able to go to France which made Gavin smile a bit to himself. 

"I honestly have no idea how I even found you.  I was in the library early this morning and I just needed a break. I don't even see why I should continue with school. Why is it that we have to follow a set of requirements that we absolutely must follow before we graduate? To show them that we can memorize stuff for a short amount of time because I for one won't remember anything that I just wrote for my History of Magic essay by the end of next week." He rubbed his eyes to try to wipe away the tiredness he felt. He was just so stressed out from all the work that he was trying to complete and it didn't help that he kept zoning out every time he sat down to study. The boy was very intelligent and he found it fairly easy to pass his classes with good grades before he started his seventh year. Now it was more about cramming pointless information that he did not care for.

He stole another kiss from Nicola before he turned to see a few first years staring at them. "What, I can't kiss my girlfriend or are you guys trying to learn how to kiss? Go read a book or something." Gavin yelled. He hated people who stared and he hated first years so combined made his temper rise. "I swear I was never that annoying when I started Hogwarts. Its like they keep getting smaller and smaller,  not to mention stupider." He half smiled, trying to make Nicola laugh but she probably wouldn't approve of him yelling at children but it did make him feel better.

"So," Gavin said as he grabbed hold of Nicola's hand. "What are you up to with my sister? Are you getting tired of her already. She can be a handful."

“Of course I have ate something,” Nicola laughed brushing some of her hair from her face. “But of course that was hours ago, but the idea of eating is nauseating.” She just wanted to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. Now that she had Gavin the fresh air got so much better. She just hoped this whole flu thing would go away soon. She was sick of feeling like this and she knew the longer she felt like this the more Gavin would worry.

She leaned closer to him as Gavin started complaining about school. She remembered hitting that wall last year, but luckily she had Kyle and Gavin to keep her head at school. Gavin was a year behind her and she would never have thought of leaving school because he was still there. She knew that Analiza and to some extent herself, wanted Gavin to finish his education. “You know if you really hate it you can drop out.” She shrugged her shoulders, “Not that I would suggest it. As I do think having a completed Hogwarts education means something, that you can follow through and complete it.” Though she had to admit a lot of seemed sort of pointless these days. “But it completely up to you.”

Nicola enjoyed the stolen, yet quick kiss. They always had quick kisses while on school grounds, sometimes it wasn’t enough but she was not a student anymore and she didn’t want people think poorly of the two of them. They were not the type to make out in public. Of course the moment was quickly gone as Gavin yelled, resulting in her rolling her eyes. “Come on Gavin. You don’t have to yell.” She knew he found the stares they sometimes received annoying, but when you dated at a school you were faced with people staring.

Kissing his cheek softly she rested her head on his shoulder. “I am a tad tired about running around, but she is teaching me a lot.” She said as she picked her up off his shoulder and looked at him. “I am getting things ready for the Deputy Headmaster, which surprisingly is a lot more work than one would think.” She sighed and not because of the work load but because their conversation had turned to her trip, yet again.

Not finishing school was impossible for Gavin. He had to, even though he didn't precisely want to. Trying to get a job without graduating would most defiantly look poorly in his interviews. He could whine and complain as much as he liked but he would never get the okay from his sister to leave. She would bind him to the school with magic if she had to, which he didn't doubt she would. So he was stuck wishing he wasn't here even though he was. Besides, if Nicola could graduate then so could he, he didn't want to disappoint her or anyone else and if Alex was going to graduate then best believe he was going to. He started to play with her hand, lightly touching the tips of her fingers with his. He was calm when he was with her, if he didn't count his outburst just minutes ago but that was because he was under so much stress.

"I think I'll graduate, besides what would you think of me if I didn't?" he asked playfully. Everything was so much simpler when he was on vacation. He didn't have to worry about exams or that fact that he was getting more behind then ever on his school work. His friends were in the same boat and he doubted that anyone was finished completing all their work for the library was lately crowded with people. Gavin rudely pointed out to many people that he came across there that the library was not a social event. He was there to complete his work, not listen to third year girls complaining about nonsense. It usually was his favorite place at Hogwarts but the more he spent there the less he wanted to be there.

"Sorry for yelling." he told Nicola pretending to look like a little puppy. He was not sorry however to the first years. They full deserved it. He smirked when she told him about what her sister had her doing. Analiza was hard to follow if one did not know her but Nicola was getting along just fine, or that is what he thought. He did not want to get involved so he did not really like to ask questions but sometimes he couldn't help himself.

He stared into Nicola's face with only concern in his eyes. "You know I really don't like you out here." he said not trying to sound to angry but he did want to show her that he didn't like it. "Maybe we should go somewhere else, somewhere inside."

“I wouldn’t think any less of you.” Nicola said with a shrug. “But I would encourage the completion of school.” Nicola couldn’t imagine how Gavin would even begin to succeed after school without completed education. She knew it was doable but with Gavin’s potential he could do a lot more and the education could help him accomplish that. “Besides Analiza would probably not take the news so kindly.” Nicola joked.

She saw the puppy face and rolled her eyes. Okay so the look was making her melt as well. She knew he didn’t actually feel sorry for yelling but he was still adorable. She shook her head and kissed his cheek. “It is fine.” She accepted certain aspects of Gavin and this was one of them.

“I suppose so.” Nicola said taking Gavin’s hand and with her other collecting her clipboard. “I am getting rather cold.” Nicola wouldn’t mind the fresh air but she knew it was not a battle she would win and she wasn’t going to push remaining outside. “Well I am done for the afternoon so I can go anywhere.”