The next morning was supposed to be the start of a day's worth of happiness and holiday cheer, the three of them planned on eating breakfast together and to play in the snow afterwards. But these said plans grew dimmer and dimmer within every passing minute that Florence and Nicolai spent infront of Xander's dormitory.

They had knocked continuously for the past ten minutes, the door had opened up exactly three times. Roger was the first one to slip out, flashing the two an apologetic look, explaining how Alexander really did not feel like seeing them. The
same response was given by Grant, who opened the door for them afterwards, before slipping out to head down to breakfast.

Finally, after a couple more knocks, Jeremy had came out, a blank look on his face.

"Jer, please," Florence pleaded with him, "We just want to be there for him."

"He's fine on his own for the moment," the Chaser explained, ruffling his hair, "Look, I don't want to cram into this issue but you two really need to give him some time alone. He'll tell you about it, but atleast give him time to think about it by himself."

"Did he tell you anything?"

Jeremy shook his head, "He hasn't said anything since last night. Might be that bad. But just take my word for it, he needs time." he said, patting Nicolai's shoulder, before heading down to the main commons.

"Come on, Nic," Florence sighed helplessly, "Xander will come out when he's ready. Meanwhile, you and I, shall head down and eat a lovely birthday breakfast, yeah?"

"It's not a birthday breakfast without him," she grumbled. Nicolai did not know whether Jillian and Xander's fallout was something that she should be happy about. As much as she resented that sort of mentality, there was still a tiny voice in her that was throwing a victory party.

The great hall held merely half of the student population, scattered across each table, some huddled in to groups, while others sat alone. Nicolai's eyes immediately searched through the hufflepuff table, hoping to get to talk to her, but, alas, Jillian was nowhere in sight.

"Look, Nic. It's Julien and Alanna," Florence pointed to where the two Beauxbatons students sat merrily at the ravenclaw table. The two of them wore christmas printed jumpers, little lights flicking on and off from the little printed bulbs. Julien smiled at the sight of the two approaching.

"Good morning, Julien, Alanna." Florence greeted as she took a seat across from the boy, noticing the gifts that sat on the table, "Aren't you two supposed to be at your Christmas breakfast with Madame Maxime?"

"We were supposed to be there," nodded Julien, "But we decided we wanted a little change of experience."

"We've been to a Beauxbatons Christmas breakfast two years ago. Didn't like it," Alanna scrunched up her nose, "The food tasted like merde. Not a good experience. And besides, we've grown to like Hogwarts food."

"I'm glad to hear that." Florence smiled at the two, before plopping bell shaped cookies onto her plate. Julien moved to grab one of the presents that sat beside his plate, "I was told that it is Nicolai's birthday today, yeah?" he handed her the small parcel, "Consider this as a birthday present and a Christmas present from Alanna and I."

Nicolai stared. "Wow, uh, thank you, you two. You know you didn't really have to..."

"It's our pleasure to do so," Alanna reassured her, "You are our friends, and have been very kind to us during this stay."

"This one is for you, Florence," Julien handed her a neatly wrapped parcel as well, "And I do have one for Alexander. When is he coming down to join us?"

"I don't think he will," Nicolai muttered slowly, "He's...had a rough night."

"I see," he pursed his lips, "Well then, please just hand this to him when you get the chance."

"Will do."

"I come prepared as well," said Florence with a huge grin on her face. Tucked in her pockets were two envelopes, handing one each to Julien and Alanna, "Christmas cards. I apologize if it isn't much...I didn't know what to get for you two."

"No, It's perfect," Alanna said, as she pulled out her card, an overhead picture of Hogsmeade on the front, with all the shining Christmas lights and the snow fall on the rooftops, "Now I have something to remember Hogwarts with."

"Well I am very happy that you like it," she smiled. The three of them enjoyed the food, whilst endlessly talking about what they usually did during Christmas when they were not from school.

Julien's mother was from the heart of London, while their father was Swedish and French. It was usually a variety of different dishes on their tables, and occasionally other relatives from their father's side would visit.

Florence, amidst the story telling, could hear the hesitant uttering of the word father from Julien's mouth. She did not want to be nosy, and kept her question to herself.

"....I know how to speak a bit of Swedish myself," Alanna told then with a faint smile, "Mother said that father tried teaching Julien when he and mum got married—"

Florence gave Nicolai a look of warning, but still proceeded to ask, "Do you have different fathers?"

"Nic," Florence nudged her, searching Julien's face for any signs of hurt. But instead, he simply smiled and nodded his head. "My mother met Lanna's father when I was about a year old. Ever since he's been my father as well."

"I'm sorry," Florence said on Nicolai's behalf, "She shouldn't have asked that."

"It's fine. It doesn't really matter to me."

Nicolai looked away, embarrassed to have been very nosy. In that moment, she had locked eyes with Jillian, who was standing hesitantly by the entrance to the Great Hall.

"Florence," Nicolai whispered, "I want you to calm down when I say this, yeah? I see Jillian by the doors."

She dropped her silverware with a loud clank, making the Fransson siblings jump in their seats, "What's wrong?" asked Alanna, looking from Florence to Nicolai, "Why does she look angry?"

"Nothing's wrong... Everything's fine. I just have to go and talk to someone—"

"We have to go and talk to someone."

"No," Nicolai interjected, "Please make sure she doesn't go anywhere," she told both Julien and Alanna, "Unless Fred or George comes and picks her up."

"But Nic, I want to have a word with her too." Florence protested. "I know. Just, let me talk to her first, yeah? I'll tell you everything." With that, she stood up, and made her way towards the Hufflepuff girl.

Florence attempted to follow, but was chastised by Julien to sit down, "Nicolai's orders. You're under bench arrest."

"But—"

"No buts. Only your boyfriend can bail you out."

                                            -----

"Nicolai, I—" Jillian began, only to have Nicolai grab her by the arm, dragging her over to an empty hallway. She stood there, hands crossed over her chest with a frown on her face. "I told you, Jill. I told you not to hurt him."

"I didn't mean to..." she whispered, as if she did not have it in her to say it, "You were right. I-I couldn't keep pretending to be someone that I'm not."

"So you were pretending to love him," Nicolai laughed hollowly, combing her hand through her hair in distress, "You should have told him sooner. But what did you do? You waited until you were in deeper shit, yeah?"

"I, I didn't..."

Nicolai frowned, "Didn't what?" she asked, before realizing what she had meant, "Oh my god. You didn't tell him about you!" she exclaimed incredulously, anger now boiling in her chest. "You—you broke up with him, and you didn't tell him. What did you tell him?"

"I told Xander I couldn't do it anymore. That I didn't think stuff was working out... I couldn't tell him about me, Nic, I care for Xander... I just don't want him to see me that way."

"Bullshit!" Nicolai exclaimed, "You're more ashamed to tell him about you being gay, but you're not ashamed of yourself for making someone feel like they're not enough?!"

"I didn't mean it that way, Nicolai," Jillian begged, "Please, just listen..."

"No! You listen. You broke up with Xander by making him feel like he isn't enough. What kind of shitty person are you? Xander doesn't deserve this, any of this. He deserved to know that it isn't about him but about you. Why didn't you tell him that?"

"I told you," Jillian began, voice a little louder this time, "It isn't as easy as you think."

"Oh yeah? Hey, Xander, I'm breaking up with you, you're a great guy but I'm just not in to guys. I'm gay. Easy as pie! You should try that line!"

"That isn't what I mean," she gritted her teeth in frustration. "Nicolai I know he didn't deserve that. I'm sorry. I should have listened to you before and just told him that things couldn't go that way."

"A bit too late for realization," Nicolai murmured, "The damage has already been done. You ruined his evening by giving him hope that it would go perfectly, then proceeded to dump him. You're a terrible person."

"You lied to me about liking him that much, telling me you really did feel something for him. You lied, when it was so easy to come clean—"

"It's not easy," she repeated again, which seemed to annoy Nicolai even more.

"You keep saying that. Why? Why do you think it's not that easy..." Nicolai made air quotes with her hands, "Two words, Jillian, you only had to tell him two words. I'm gay. That's it, that's all you had to say, and you didn't have to lead him on, don't have to hurt him—"

"It's not easy because I like you!" Jillian blurted out, stunning Nicolai into silence as the two stared at each other.

It seemed as if they were stuck there for a year, maybe two, neither of them saying a peep to the other.

"I like you, Nic." Jillian finally said, looking down at her shoes as if they were the most interesting thing in the world, "I-I dumped Oliver Banks because I liked you, and the same reason why I couldn't tell Xander about me."

"I know he means a lot to you, and I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want him to get hurt for you."

"You...didn't want to hurt him?" Nicolai's voice came out small, still trying to process what Jillian had just said, "Yeah? Funny thing is you did."

"I took a blind leap, Nicolai. I thought you felt the same way for me too. I, I felt that you did. And I did what I did because I wanted to know if you really had feelings for me or not." she said solemnly.

"I do have feelings for you, Jill." Nicolai said, looking straight at her blue eyes, tears starting to well up.

"Or atleast I had them." Nicolai added, before taking a few steps back from Jillian, who looked as if the weight of her words crushed her.

"My friend matters more to me than the tiny crush I had for you. You didn't have the right to do that to him. You're the most selfish person I've ever met."

Nicolai swiveled around, starting back towards the Great Hall, but stopped midway as she heard sniffling behind her.

She turned to look at Jillian, "One last thing."

"Yes?"

"Don't you ever talk to me, or Xander, or Florence ever again." With that, she turned back around and started to walk again.