Catch The Snitch

Nathaniel was walking through the courtyard, seeming a bit lost in thought at the moment, not a common expression for the prefect. He stopped only when he managed to actually walk into a bush from turning a corner too soon. He glanced around and cleared his throat, straightening his cloak. He sighed a bit to himself before looking around in a more discerning fashion, trying to make sense of where he'd walked to.

He'd been lost in his thoughts concerning the fact this was his final year here at Hogwarts. He wasn't sure how he felt about that fact at the moment and it had caused the temporary lack of concentration from the usual bulwark that was Nathaniel. He set his bag down for a moment, letting it hit the bench near him with a thump, but he himself didn't sit down. Instead, in another slightly uncharacteristic moment (as he thought the courtyard was clear enough of people for him to be unnoticed), he began to pace.

He felt like there were things he'd left... unfinished. Things that had ended, but hadn't been resolved. There was still more he needed to do, but how could he manage it in the remaining time? He crossed one arm across his chest, lifting the other hand to his chin, the fingers of that hand covering his mouth partially as he paced back and forth, a slow but tense circle in front of the bench. If anyone were to approach, he might not realize it as his eyes got a sort of glossy look to them as he started to get lost again.

There were few times he'd ever done this publicly. He preferred the concepts people came up with about him because it meant most of them left him alone. In fact, he probably hadn't done this out of his room in about two years...

She’d finished up her work and didn’t have any students to tutor so for once Ili had free time. Rather than rush off to her place and unwind she didn’t see the point so she made her way to the courtyard to just sort of let her mind clear from the day. As soon as she got near the space though she immediately realized she wasn’t the only one to have such a thought and she almost turned around. But instead she peeked around the corner and as soon as she spotted the figure she decided going back to her dorm room wasn’t where she was going.

Leaning against one of the archway doors she watched him as he paced it wasn’t uncommon for Nathaniel but it was uncommon he was doing it in such a public place. He was completely lost in his thoughts and Ili took her time approaching him, doing her level best not to make a sound and settling herself on the bench where he paced. Crossing her legs she folded her hands in her lap and watched him for another quiet moment before she finally smiled, “Penny for your thoughts, Nate?” Iliana had thought long and hard before she used that specific shortening of his name.

She knew well enough only a very select few were allowed to do so and she’d never abused the privilege least of all around others. She smiled when he looked at her and head tilted some resting her chin on the back of her hand, “You were so lost in thought you didn’t even notice me wandering over here and sitting down.” Adjusting her robes absently to smooth out a wrinkle or two she focused her attention back on him entirely, sure they’d been broken up for a while but that didn’t mean she hated him or wished bad things for him. They’d just been incompatible and been smart enough to realize it before they’d continued on too much longer, her Uncle and Aunt had pointed out it was very mature of both of them at the time.

Nathaniel really had not noticed her approach at all and when she spoke, he jumped so hard he nearly toppled over and gripped his chest, turning towards her, "Bloody hell, Ili," he breathed, his eyebrow twitching a bit in his irritation at being caught so off guard but within a moment, he'd composed himself and crossed his arms.

"So it would seem," he said to her comment, "It's nothing important," he shook his head, though she'd know anything that got him that distracted in public was something weighing heavily on him, but he was choosing to not discuss it either because they were still in an open area or because he was choosing not to "burden her" with that information.

He also had not and would not wish anything bad for her and honestly was content with just a friendship. Though, friendship for him usually meant something akin to a guard dog/private detective in your back pocket. While he hadn't heard anything about an official relationship between Ili and Yuriy, the fact she'd spent time alone with him to tutor him was enough to make sure that Yuriy wasn't a sketch character. Not because he didn't want Ili to have other relationships, but because he wanted to make sure she wouldn't get hurt. Though he knew well enough rumors and word of mouth were only so effective in showing a person's real character.

"What brings you to the gardens?" he asked, clearly trying to shift the conversation away from himself.

She giggled at his reaction and just raised a brow at him when he redirected the question back to her more or less. “Just free time is all but you aren’t getting out of answering me that easily…” Leaning back against the bench she folded her arms over her chest and watched him. He wouldn’t have been nearly so distracted if it was a problem with an easy solution and she just stared at him for a few moments longer before she recalled only one other problem that would have him so wired.

Ili leaned forward resting her elbows on her knee and lowered her voice, “It hasn’t gotten worse... Has it Nate?” She wasn’t going to get any more specific than that but she made sure it was relatively clear what she was speaking about by the concerned look on her face. Just because they weren’t together anymore didn’t mean she cared any less about his problems, they were still friends or at least she thought so. Ili did at least humor him a bit, hoping if she told him something that was bothering her he’d at the very least recognize she was willing to share and listen still.

“Still trying to wrap my head around being tutored instead of tutoring myself… but if I want to pass my NEWTs I’ve no other choice at least in Astronomy.” He was sure to be amused by that given how often she was the one tutoring everyone else. She wasn’t ashamed of it though, if anything she recognized that it was honest of her to admit to needing the help and she already kept so many things quiet.