Melody was careful to avoid the mistletoe as she explored the lover's path. Some might find the idea of waiting for a stranger's kiss to free them rmonatic but she really didn't want to spend a good part of the winter wonderland stuck waiting while getting covered in snow. It was cold enough without being immobile and she didn't have much kissing experience as it was.

She got out a stetch book from her bag and started to draw the path. Snow gently fell as she did so. Not the usual reason to come here she knew but she had wanted to draw. Humming the tune of something she had long forgotten the words too she became enchanced in her work, only looking up from it when she sensed someone standing behind her. She turned around uneasily not sure what she was expecting to happen now.

Just a few days ago during a break at work, one of Parker's co-workers showed him some of the moving photographs she took while on a stroll down Lover's Path with her boyfriend. They were really lovely pictures, and she was actually kind enough to give him the one of the pathway and surrounding plants. He usually wasn't a huge fan of wizard photography, but there was something so subtle about the light snowfall and the barely blowing wind that made her picture so captivating to him.

He'd kept it on his desk since then, and found himself really wanting to go visit the spot the picture was taken, despite the risk of enchanted mistletoe catching him. Part of him almost didn't care. He just felt like he really needed to see the place with his own eyes, just once while it was still decorated for Winter Festival - before it was converted into something more suited for Valentine's.

Actually wearing one of his warmer jumpers for once, Parker took his time to get to Avalon and to the path, making sure to be fully aware of where he was going. As he walked with his hands in his pockets, he took notice of a girl along the side of the path with a sketchbook in hand. As he approached, he couldn't help but wonder what exactly she was drawing - vaguely remembering a time he used to draw as a kid.

She suddenly turned around, probably feeling his presence, and Parker stopped. He gave her a small, crooked smile and then motioned towards her sketchbook. "What're you drawing?"

Melody blushed slightly. She knew that this wasn't what people usually used the love path for and his question had caught her a little off gaurd. But he didn't seem to be with someone either unless they were going to meet him here. In which case things could get rather awkward and maybe they'd expect her to leave. She had gotten here first.

"The Lover's Path," she said, managing to compose herself. She allowed him to see a bit of her sketch. "Its lovely really, espcecially with all the snow falling around it. I wanted to draw it before it was gone. What about you? Are you waiting for someone here?"

Parker didn't catch the blush across her cheeks (figuring she was just pink from the cold), but he did have a feeling that she hadn't really expected him to ask about her drawing, or perhaps even talk to her. In all honestly, he didn't really expect that of himself either. He suddenly found himself worried that he was bothering her as she waited for someone - a friend, a crush, or significant other.

She showed him what she had of her sketch so far and Parker raised his eyebrows as he looked between the drawing and the scenery before them that it depicted - almost just like the photograph his co-worker had given him. "Oh, wow that's really good! I certainly couldn't do that." he praised.

What about you? Are you waiting for someone here?

Looking up at the tree tops, he smiled to himself. "Hmm? Oh - no, I'm not. I know this is an odd place to take a walk, but a friend of mine showed me a picture she took right here and I just wanted to see for myself. What about you? Or did you just come to sketch?" He asked, glancing back down at her and her drawing again.

Melody smiled. She hadn't thought much of her sketch but then that was an artist's curse. It was rarely ever good enough for them. Still it was coming along nicely even if it wasn't finished yet.

"Just sketching I'm afraid," Melody answered. "I don't even have someone I would want to meet her." It was true. No one had caught her fancy if people still used that expression. There hadn't been anyone in Hogwarts either. "Do you draw?" Even if he didn't they both seemed to have gotten here to appreciate the place. It was nice to know people still did that. Although she didn't know many people very well so she wasn't sure how many would have come here just to look at it.

Melody wondered if she should have taken a camera with her. But then she had her sketch and didn't need any other reminder of it. Maybe she would frame it if it turned out right.

Parker nodded when she said she was just sketching. "Nothin' wrong with that. I mean, it's kinda silly isn't it? I can only imagine what this place'll look like once it gets closer to Valentine's." Probably much more pink and red, more places to sit, many more couples too. "This is the first time I've come to check out the path, but I wish it was easier to walk without worrying about getting caught up by the mistletoe." he said with a light shrug.

"Do you draw?"

Parker seemed to ponder over the question a bit before answering. "Not really. Well, actually, I did a little bit when I was way younger. Was never any good at it though - probably why I stopped." He stated matter-of-factly. His drawings had always looked like those of a kid several years younger, which was never anything he worried over until it became a point of some teasing until he had dropped it all together...

"Hmm, I suppose so. It won't look as nice with red and pink all over." Yeah, that was an annoyance and there wasn't really a place to sit so she had to draw standing up. "I think its because whoever made this wants us to stuck under the mistletoe. I don't see the romance of being stuck under then mistletoe myself. Even if I liked someone I'd rather not be immobile when I kissed them."

"Drawing can be hard to keep doing." She drew a bit more of the path. She didn't draw too quickly. There was no rush and she knew that getting impatient could ruin the drawing.

"Oh. I just realized I never told you my name. I'm Melody."

“Yeah, I don’t really like how most places decorate for Valentine’s personally,” he mused to himself more than her. He wasn’t really one to talk about how anything / anyone should look considering he couldn’t bother to match his clothes half the time, but honestly, there had to be a better some better way to decorate for the holiday than slap pink-red and hearts all over and call it a day.

A slight shiver struck him as a gentle breeze blew through the area. “Yeah, it’s no fun, I can say that much--” Whether or not it was because he had been tricked into it during his 5th year with someone he didn’t much care for from his group of friends at the time, Parker didn’t really care to consider. The whole idea of enchanted mistletoe was just one he didn’t much care for as a whole, but it was a tradition, he supposed.

“I’m Parker.” He responded simply, watching as she slowly continued on with her sketch. “You wouldn’t mind if I watch you draw for a bit, would you? I’m not bothering you or anything, am I?”

"Err, no. You're not bothering me at all." His question had caught her by surprise but she didn't really mind. "Okay. It might take a while though."

The sketchbook had been enchanted so it didn't get ruined by the snow but she had put no such enchantment on herself so the lightly falling snow still piled up on her. She shook some of it off and continued drawing. Her hand movements swift but careful. She didn't know how much time had passed before she had started adding in the finer details of the path. The snow had made it a bit more of a challenge.

She looked at her drawing. "So... what do you think?" she asked quietly, partly not to scare him and partly because she was finding her voice after being quiet for so long.

Parker didn’t know what possessed him to ask if he could just stand there to watch her draw. He was usually pretty good about minding his own business and keeping to himself. But it was peaceful, this was the same spot he had come to see from his co-worker’s photograph, and it was kind of nice to do something so different from his usual routine. And as long as Melody didn’t mind, there wasn’t any harm to it.

“How long does it usually take you to draw? When I used to, it would always take me ages.” It was kind of weird. The idea to pick up drawing again hadn’t occurred to him for years. He remembered really enjoying it before the bullies found that to pick on him for too.

As he silently watched Melody move her pencil deftly across the page, Parker noticed the little flecks of snow that settled on the two of them (though surprisingly not her paper). He brushed his hand through his messy hair, the melted snow flakes making it slightly damp.

"So... what do you think?"

Parker looked between her sketchbook and the scene before them and smiled. “That’s really amazing, honestly! What made you want to try to draw the path anyway? Any specific reason?” he asked, finding himself curious as to how/why she ended up deciding on this spot in particular.

"It varies I guess," she said. "This one was already partly done when you came so it might not take much longer." She wondered what he used to draw. If he would be drawing the lover's path right next to her now if he hadn't quit.

"Umm... I don't think so," she answered. "At least none comes to mind." It sounded nice she supposed. "Just seemed like the right spot." Maybe it was that it was less crowded than anywhere else in the carnival.

Whatever the reason had been, she was packing up her sketchbook now. Not exactly planning to leave but feeling no need to keep it out.

"Hmm, hard to draw with snow everywhere," she mused, voice quiet. She talked more to herself than him and wasn't sure if he had heard her.

Parker nodded as she spoke, “Ah, yeah, that makes sense. It’s nice and quiet here, much easier to think and focus in my opinion.” Until mentioning it, he’d barely noticed how much better he felt to be apart from the crowds of the main areas of the festival and village.

He let out the small breath that he didn’t know he’d been holding as she packed away her sketch book. He folded his arms across his chest and rubbed his upper arms, feeling cold even with his jacket. He glanced over at Melody when she mumbled something to herself.

Taking a few steps forward on the path, Parker kept aware of where any nearby charmed mistletoe traps were located. He turned back around to face Melody as he motioned behind him, “I kinda wanted to explore the rest of the path. Erm, you’re welcome to join me if you want?” He asked politely, almost liking the idea of some company at the moment.

It was easier to draw without crowds of people and the path gave off a peaceful vibe. Yes, it was easier to collect her thoughts here although that hadn't occurred to her before he said it. It was quiet here too but not in an unnerving way.

"Uh, sure," she answered. "We better be careful though. Don't want to get stuck under the mistletoe." It wasn't that she would just leave him if he did or that she thought he would leave her but that being immobile wouldn't be fun and getting a kiss from him would be awkward. They were still basically strangers after all.

Parker nodded when she said to be careful of the mistletoe. "Yeah, that would be super awkward," he responded with a light chuckle in an attempt to keep the general mood of their conversation from getting awkward as well. Most people (that weren't close friends) would probably have avoided saying what they both did so forwardly, but it was true. He wasn't fond of the idea of kissing strangers.

They carefully made their ways down the path, and Parker found himself curious about her, having the vague feeling that he'd seen her around before. He just couldn't place exactly where. "So what do you study? You go to the academy, right?" he asked.

It wasn't difficult to talk to him or just be silent for a while. Maybe people who weren't close friends wouldn't talk so forward about trying to avoid the mistletoe but it didn't feel odd to. She wondered if she had made a friend. She was comfortable around him at least.

"Potioneering," she answered. "What about you?" She was careful to make her way around the path as they spoke. The snow was still falling and no heavier than before, she wondered if it was enchanted to do that. It would make sense as no one would want to stay if it was snowing too heavily.

Melody seemed so easy and simple to talk to, which was nice with all the complexities that surrounded him lately. He hoped that she didn’t mind his company, maybe they could make good friends?

"Potioneering. What about you?"

“Healing. Though, potions was definitely my second choice. It’s definitely my favorite subject. I think my best one too.” He said, not trying to sound like he was bragging. But he couldn’t deny that he was a little proud of himself for that, since it was a subject so many others that he knew struggled greatly with. It was like… a calling for him. But healing just made so much more sense for what he wanted to do.

The two of them made their ways through to the end of the path in easy conversation as well moments of relaxed silence. “Well, I’m actually gonna be headed back to the dorms, but I’ll see you around yeah? Potion’s class probably?”