I Smell Snow | Lusie & Hugo

[Deleted]

December 7th 2024

Lusie woke up early that morning to a still quietness. Her roommates were all still in their beds, but she had a feeling that it was time to get up. She did. Lusie dressed without making a sound and left the room as she pulled her scarf around her neck with her good arm. She was still slightly recovering from the events of the last week, but, she only had to keep the sling on for a few more days. The young Hufflepuff made her way up the marble staircase of the castle and once she got to the main floor, she opened the door and stepped outside.

Her feelings were correct, the grounds were covered in a light powdering of snow. A satisfied smile crept over the brunette’s face and she hurried down the steps onto the lawns below. Lusie loved the snow. She wasn’t such a fan of the cold weather, but she loved the snow. It made her giddy. Once she made it down, she spun around a few times, giggling as her boots crunched the snow beneath her feet on the frozen grass. This was the perfect day, and it happened on a weekend, how lovely! Lusie loved the way the world looked, all covered in the snow. And she loved the way that it smelled. Cold and wet. There was a peaceful nature to it. It was serene. The Hufflepuff took a second to breath it in, closing her eyes with possibly the biggest smile she had ever smiled on her pink lips.

@hugo

[Deleted]

Hugo was never the type of person to sleep in. He had too much energy to stay in bed, was often the first person awake in his dorm, though sometimes he tried to stay in bed until someone got up, but most of the time he couldn't. At least he was Head Boy, so even if it was very early in the morning, he could go around and call it "patrolling". Not that he would admit he did that to anyone; he didn't have to because so far no one had caught him doing it. Hugo was fairly grateful for that. 

Today it wasn't that early, but Hugo woke up and something felt different. It was almost like he could sense it and he knew what happened last night. He hurried to the window by his bed, hardly restraining a whoop when he saw white on the ground. He didn't know how much snow was there, but snow was snow and he was going outside right now! He quickly got dressed and made his way to the entrance hall so he could go out on the grounds.

He laughed as he walked out of the castle, breathing in the crisp air happily. He walked further outside, stopping in his tracks when he realized he wasn't the only one out here. There were tracks in the snow! Awesome! Hugo followed the tracks, which were heading down to the lawn. He saw the girl before he reached her, watching her as she spun around in circles, appearing as happy as he felt. Hugo chuckled and made his way to her, wondering if there was a good way to announce his arrival without scaring her. As he approached, he decided to just go for it. "Looks like I'm not the only one enjoying the surprise out here this morning," he called when he was just a few feet away, a wide smile on his face.

@lusie

[Deleted]

Lusie hadn’t thought she’d run into anyone else up this early, the sun was barely up, and anyone else who would be awake at this time would be getting ready for the day or going to have breakfast. She didn’t expect anyone else would share her desire to run out into the new and spend their morning fighting frostbite and catching snowflakes on their tongues. “Oh hey there.” she said when she turned around and saw the older man standing there. She knew who he was, of course, he was the head boy. She figured that he probably knew who she was also, but she didn’t want to assume. She preferred when people didn’t know her. Though, given that they had gone to school together for the past 6 years, And her older brother was in his house, he probably knew who she was too. “Did you come out just for the snow too? It’s my favorite time of year.” she explained. “Your name is Hugo right? You’re the head boy?” she asked.

@hugo

[Deleted]

At least he didn't scare her. The girl turned around and greeted him, a smile on her face and Hugo's first impression was confirmed. She definitely liked this weather just as much as he did. Now that he saw her face he recognized her as well. She was Lusie Windsor, a member of the royal family. It was interesting to run into her like this, outside without anyone else around. He nodded at her question, "Yeah, I love snow! Can't believe it's finally here." Hugo was grinning as he stepped closer to her, wanting to follow her example a little and touch the snow. "Yeah, you're right on both counts," he confirmed. "You're Lusie Windsor, right?" Hugo chuckled a little, "I'll confess, I never thought I'd run into you outside because it snowed. You always come out like this the first time it snows?" He asked with a smile.

@lusie

[Deleted]

The Gryffindor seemed to share her love for the snowy weather and Lusie liked being around someone who understood why she was out in the freezing morning air, voluntarily letting herself get cold and wet. The world was different when it snowed. Everything was so clean and calm. The normal colors of the mountains around the castle were covered in a layer of white powder and everything looked so peaceful. He then confirmed that she was right about who he was and he knew who she was also, which she didn’t mind. She knew that it was hard for people in Hogwarts not to know each other, they were in a castle together for a number of years, everyone ended up at least knowing who everyone else was, just about. “Yes, I’m Lusie.” she nodded with a smile, she was almost always smiling, even now, despite her arm still being in the sling. “I can’t say I am the first one out every year, but I try to be. I love being outside when the world is this calm. It’s refreshing. And quiet.” she explained in a sweet tone. Not that she minded him disrupting the quiet, it was nice to talk to somebody. “Do I not seem the type to like snow?” she asked with a laugh when he said he never expected to see her outside because it snowed. She was sure that he hadn’t meant that, but she could tease a little bit.

@hugo

[Deleted]

The girl didn’t seem surprised that he knew who she was, which Hugo considered a good thing. He didn’t want to annoy her, or for her to think that he was spying on her or something like that. Then again, since she was royalty, she was probably used to the attention. He was sure that someone in her position would get a lot of attention, whether or not they really liked it. He chuckled, “Well, it’s nice to officially meet you, Lusie,” Hugo offered, giving a go at trying to be chivalrous. Or just polite. Whatever. He nodded when she admitted liking to be outside in the snow before the others. “Me too. And I like being one of the first ones to make a mark in it,” Hugo admitted. He liked looking back and knowing that the footprints were his, that he was making a difference in the world, even if it wasn’t a huge or very important difference. He seemed to find lots of parallels to his life whenever he was in the snow. It made him more contemplative, which was strange but also fun. He shrugged at her question, “I don’t know. It’s not so much you as it as anyone. Most people don’t want to come out so early when it’s this chilly,” he answered, then smirked. “Besides that, I can’t remember having run into you out here before, so maybe you’re stalking me and realized I’d be one of the first ones out here this morning.” Highly unlikely, since she’d need to stalk him for at least 6 months to learn all that about him, but Hugo couldn’t help but tease the young girl. It was fun.

@lusie

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When the head boy said that it was nice to officially meet her, Lusie found herself nodding her head, “likewise.” she agreed. He then explained his reasoning for saying that he never thought that he would see her outhere and the first part of it made sense, she had never ran into him out during the first snow of the season either, their paths had just never crossed. He then suggested that for all he knew she could have been stalking him and she knew where he would be this morning. “Ahh, I see. But, the small flaw in your logic there is that I was the first one out this morning. So, how do I know that you're not the one stalking me?” Lusie asked, almost in a tease. She hadn’t always been so good at talking to people, but as she grew up, she was coming to know her own personality and feeling a lot more comfortable in her body and with herself, especially around other people, whom she normally would have shied away from.

@hugo

[Deleted]

She was so polite. It was a good thing that since the beginning of the year Hugo felt that as head boy he needed to be more polite around people or he’d be a bit uncomfortable. He wasn’t used to people treating him that way. Most of the time the people he hung out with knew that Hugo liked to have fun and perhaps go a little crazy when the opportunity presented itself. He smirked when she caught the flaw in his teasing, suggesting that it was probably him who was stalking her. “Ahh, but if I was, I likely wouldn’t admit it,” he answered back. “And maybe you’re reverse-stalking me by coming out here when you knew I would be. That way I couldn’t suspect anything.” Hugo chuckled, unable to continue trying to sound serious. He knew he sounded completely ridiculous and by now he was making things up. He looked down at the thin layer of snow and pushed it around with his shoe. “It’s a shame this will be gone shortly after the sun comes up,” he lamented to Lusie, who obviously was excited as him about the upcoming season. He sighed to himself, unable to hold it back. He was ready for snowball fights and sledding in his spare time and Hugo wasn’t particularly good at being patient.

@lusie

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“Ooh. I like the way that you think, Mr. Weasley.” Lusie said with a typical-Luise giggle. She was teasing, and rather obviously doing so. She didn’t want him to think that she was serious about her comment, or about the stalker thing, but she was pretty sure that they were on the same page with their joke. Lusie was fairly convinced that the school wouldn’t let someone who turned out to be a stalker be the head boy, and she couldn’t imagine a princess, as herself, being able to get away with being a stalker. It was a comical thought, though. “It is a shame isn’t it?” Lusie agreed with a sigh. “But, it’s getting to be that time of the year where it’ll start snowing all night and then stay below freezing during the day. Soon we’ll all be covered in several inches of snow.” she loved being as far north as they were. She loved the cold, mostly because it gave her an excuse to be cozy. “I’m sure you’ll have your hands full apprehending those to blame for attacking the first years with snow balls then, though.” Lusie teased again.

@hugo

[Deleted]

Lusie was teasing him back, laughing as she said she liked the way he thought. “Ahh, I’m pretty sure that means you know I’m right,” he continued, unable to help a healthy chuckle. It was nice to be able to tease her, to feel like someone wasn’t judging him or treating him a specific way because they knew he was head boy. Hugo appreciated that kind of conversation. All too often when he found himself talking to people that didn’t really know him, it was with all this respect and stuff and he really didn’t want that. Hugo was the type who wanted to have fun, he didn’t want people to treat him carefully, glancing back at him warily as they walked away. It was one of the annoying things about his new responsibilities.

He nodded when she said that it was a shame the snow would be gone soon, adding that at least winter was near. “Yeah, I can’t wait for the first real snowfall. Bring on the snowball fights and the snow forts!” Hugo enthused, laughing at himself as he spoke. Really, he was excited to have fun with the snow during his last year of school. He’d enjoy it every year. Hmmm, maybe as head boy he’d be able to plan some sort of huge snow activity during a weekend or something. He’d have to think about that, because it was definitely a worthwhile idea. He chuckled when she said he would be trying to catch those attacking the first years with snowballs. Yeah … not likely. It was more likely that Hugo would be found among those attacking the first through seventh years with enchanted snowballs. “Eh, a good snowball never really hurt anybody,” he answered with a shrug of his shoulders. Maybe that would give her a hint as to his true activities, but that didn’t mean he’d admit it to anyone else.

@lusie

[Deleted]

Lusie was very much enjoying her conversation with the head boy. He was a lot nicer and more approachable than she would had thought. Not that she thought that he was mean or anything, but she expected that he would at least be a little intimidating because of who his parents were and because of the title that he held. But then again, she suspected that people thought that sort of thing about her too before they actually got to know her a little bit. She still didn’t let too many people get to know her. She never knew whether they wanted to know her or if they wanted to know an English Princess. She gave in about the first part of the conversation. He could win this one. Not that they needed to keep score. Hugo agreed that he couldn’t wait for the first real snowfall and lusie nodded eagerly. It was the best time of the year, truly. “I know, I’ll be out here then to.” she promised. Maybe she’d see him out again too. That’d be cute, she thought. A nice little tradition. Lusie never really partook in snowball fights or anything, but she did see many students doing so. She thought about participating and maybe this year she would. She was doing a good job of coming out of her shell so maybe she’d actually find it fun now. When Hugo insisted that a snowball fight never hurt anyone, Lusie giggled, she was sure that he was partaking in them with the rest of the school. Why wouldn’t he? He seemed like the type of guy who liked to have fun. “Maybe I’ll give it a go when it actually sticks.” she shrugged. “And once I get this sling off.” she added, waving her injured arm a little.

@hugo

[Deleted]

Hugo grinned when Lusie said she'd be out here when the first real snowfall came. "Do you want to plan to make a snowman together or something?" he teased, winking at her easily. "Or we can just meet up ... or try to avoid one another. Don't worry, I won't judge you no matter which one you choose." Hugo knew that he and Lusie Windsor hardly knew one another, but he also couldn't help but tease her in that moment. It was too much fun to see the way people reacted to things like that and Hugo ws definitely a big tease. Any of his friends would say that about him if given the chance. 

"Maybe?" Hugo questioned as she mentioned possibly joining the snowball fights. "Lusie Windsor, you have never lived if you haven't joined in one of my classically-started snowball fights!" He now felt a very strong urge to find her sometime this winter and get her in the middle of a snowball war. That was fine. He could probably convince Sav and Adrian to join him, if no one else would. The sooner he did it after the first snowfall, the more people would be willing to join in, he was sure. He rolled his eyes when she mentioned the sling. "How long are you going to be in that thing?" he asked, narrowing his eyes as he watched her, trying to make sure she told the truth. She couldn't be in there long, not with all the magical healing in the hospital wing, right?

@lusie

[Deleted]

Lusie felt a little odd when the head boy asked if she wanted to make a snowman or something when the snow was thick enough and would actually stick to the grass rather than melt whenever someone stepped on it. It was getting warmer out by the second the snow that covered the lawns when she walked out here was already melting into a muddy slush that she knew students would sigh and moan at the idea of having to cross to get to their care of magical creatures and herbology lessons later that day. “I’d love that actually.” she admitted at the idea of making a snowman together. She felt weird about him asking because she felt like they barely knew each other, but, how were they supposed to get to know one another if they didn’t do something together. She could always use a partner in bringing Frosty to life.

She felt her cheeks blush when he lectures her for having never participated before. She shrugged. “Look I’m a Hufflepuff for a reason, I think hurling snowball at innocent walkers by was more a Will thing than me. Though I promise you I’ll give it a go this year.” she decided with a firm nod. He then asked about the sling, she felt a little silly for needed it at all as her arm felt mostly fine the day after the accident, but the healers insisted that she needed it, just so she wouldn’t reopen the stitches before they fully set. “I’ll be fully healed by Monday.” she told him. Just a few more days. She was so close she could taste it. She wouldn’t be fully healed though, there would be a scar. But she almost didn’t mind. “Accident in herbology.” she told him with a shrug.

@hugo

[Deleted]

A weird look crossed the girl’s face for a fraction of a second after he asked if she’d want to make a snowman and Hugo fully expected her to decline. Maybe she’d say she had a boyfriend or something, or maybe she just wasn’t interested in doing something like that with someone she barely knew. Either way, that was fine. If she didn’t want to, Hugo felt certain that he’d be able to find someone who would be interested in joining him. He was thinking of people he could invite instead when she actually agreed. Smiling, Hugo nodded, “Sounds like a plan.” He chuckled, “I guess it’ll probably just happen naturally one morning when we both come out to enjoy the snow before anyone else can.” If it didn’t work out that way, he could always send her an owl or catch her in the hallway or something. Hugo was really just interested in finding people who wanted to have a good time with him. Lusie seemed like she could be one of those people.

He laughed at her blush, then again at her reasons for not joining in a snowball fight. “Oh come on! Not every snowball fight is throwing them at people who are walking by. I know for a fact that last year a bunch of students from all the house joined together in a snowball fight together. Didn’t you hear about that?” Maybe she hadn’t been at the right place at the right time, but Hugo certainly had been. He wouldn’t miss the opportunity to have fun with snow. He nodded, grinning when she agreed to join in this year. “You should. It’s fun and you get to know new people most of the time.” He cocked his head to the side for a second, “Would you rather participate in an organized one? I could make a flier or something?” It wasn’t normally the way Hugo did these sorts of things, but if it made her feel more comfortable joining in the fun, he’d definitely take the time to organize one this year.

She said she’d be better by Monday and Hugo nodded, “Perfect! Sounds like you won’t have to miss out on hardly any of the fun.” She got his full attention when she said it was an accident in Herbology though. “Ooooh, what were you working with?” he asked curiously. Hugo couldn’t help it. He loved knowing about things like this. Maybe it had to do with the fact that he’d had his own fair share of accidents. He could relate to people in a sling.

@lusie

[Deleted]

Hugo seemed pleased that she had agreed to build a snowman with him and she was glad that he was pleased to have her agree. The thought had crossed her mind, momentarily, that maybe he was just asking to be nice and didn’t actually want to spend more time with the younger, Hufflepuff girl. She had to give people more credit. She had to learn to trust more. She was finally starting to talk to people more, she had to try to be open to new things and new people, and she had to try to have faith that they weren’t just wanting to get to know her because of her social and political status. “Absolutely. I’ll be out here during the first proper snowfall.” she promised with a smile and maybe a little bit of a blush on her cheeks. “We’ll find each other.” she agreed.

He explained that the snowball fights weren’t usually malicious and that last year there had been a large, planned snowball fight in which members of every house participated and had a great time at. “I don’t think I heard about it until after it happened.” she admitted with a shrug. She spent a lot of last year shut away in her dorm or in the library. She hadn’t wanted to interact too much with the foreign visitors. She regretted that now, after the accident. She wished she would have gotten to know them more. It was a tragedy. “No you don’t have to plan anything, I’ll just keep my ears open this season.” she insisted. She didn’t want him to go out of his way on her account. The thought of him planning it all for her made her a bit uncomfortable. She felt like if he did then she would be forced to attend and she hated forced appearances, they reminded her of being a princess.

He seemed to take an interest in her accident in class and asked what she had been working with that caused the injury, “Snargaluff.” she told him with a small shrug. “My partner and I got too confident with it and it grew a new vine out of nowhere and sliced down my arm.” it sounded almost cool to recount now. It was like a battle scar. It had been a bit exciting, albeit terrifying.

@hugo