Madi blushed and turned around to look at Simon "Oh, yeah I do. Sometimes if I'm focused on a task I start humming to myself. My dad will sometimes try to sing along, or he'll play the piano over there and accompany me" Madi says with a giggle and smile.

Once they finished breakfast and all the dishes were put away, Madi smiled and giggled "well, I promised you that I'd show you some cool parts of the house so come with me" Madi said as she led Simon into the front Living Room and stood in front of a seemingly ordinary looking bookshelf and stood beside it with a giggle "I don't think you're ready for this Ori" Madi says with a smile.

She pushes one of the books on the shelf backwards and steps back. The bookshelf soon moves to the side, revealing a massive library full of books. "Welcome to one of my favourite rooms that isn't on my floor" Madi says with a smile as she walks inside, holding Simon by the hand so he doesn't just stand at the entry. The bookshelf shuts once they're both inside and Madi leads Simon through the entryway and into a massive room, with every wall full of books. "Any book you can think of is in here somewhere, Mum and dad store all our family books in here, some of these are thousands of years old but they're from previous generations of both my mums side and my dads, feel free to have a look around Si, and upstairs is a massive window, you can see all of Kensington and London from up there" Madi says with a smile. She let Simon explore the library, explaining that there was a ladder at each section that had wheels so you could move across that particular section and see more books. Eventually, Madi found her way up the winding staircase in the library and in front of the massive window, looking out at all of Kensington. She smiled as she was happy to be back home with her best friend, but she knew they had to go back to Hogwarts soon. Madi was excited to continue learning at Hogwarts and getting to spend even more time with Simon, however, whilst thinking about the adventures her and Simon have had together, as she sat by the window, she felt two hands on her shoulders and jumped, turning around and giggling, "Oriii, you made me jump" Madi says as she continues giggling. "So, did you find any book in particular that caught your eye?" she says with a sweet smile once she stopped giggling. Both of them were still in their comfy pjs but she didn't mind, it was so cold outside she thought they'd be staying inside for most of the day anyway.

Godmodding Simon with consent

@Simon Tilia

So Mr. Bennett was a pianist too. He was probably much better than Simon, he imagined. After breakfast they went to explore more rooms in the house. Through a secret door in one of the bookshelves, Madison revealed a private library, bigger than he could ever have imagined.

"Welcome to one of my favorite rooms that isn't on my floor."

"Wow", said Simon, before Madison grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room. He could nothing but stare at the countless books while Madison explained some of the history behind the library. "So, I take it your family has lived in this house for generations then? Thinking how long it must have taken to collect all those books."

They went up to the second floor of the library where there was a big window with a spectacular view over the wintry Kensington. Except for Madison's bedroom, this was so far his favorite place of the house (and it was certainly more interesting than the other 'secret room' that had been her walk-in-closet).

Simon looked around a bit while Madison sat down by the window. He read on the book spines in one of the shelves: 12 Ways to Avoid Kitchen Chaos, Potions and Ethics, Unfogging the Future, First Love, First Loss, What Every Wizard Should Know About Muggles... He figured it would take a lifetime to read all the books in the library, if it was even humanly possible. But he would not waste his precious time with Madison on reading books.

When he returned to the big window, he put his hands on Madison's shoulders. It seemed like he woke her from some kind of day dream or a deep thought.

"Oriii, you made me jump."

"Sorry. You feel how cold my hands are?", he said and gently put his hand on her bare neck.

"So, did you find any book in particular that caught your eye?"

"Plenty! If you'd leave me in here, I'm afraid I may never come out." He laughed. "But I'd rather be with you. And it's a bit chilly in here. I bet it would be quite cosy by this window at night, though, if you could dim the lights a bit and light some candles. It'll be almost like our Halloween party, you remember?" He smiled and rubbed his hands. "Could I use your shower?"

So, I take it your family has lived in this house for generations then? Thinking how long it must have taken to collect all those books."

Madi giggled, "No, my family has lived all over England, it's just that over time books got passed down through the family and they all eventually, accumulated into this library" Madi says with a smile.

"Yeah it would do and of course I remember our Halloween Party, I could never forget it" Madi says with a giggle as they head out of the secret library and back up to her room. "Oh of course you can, I'm going to pick my outfit out anyway and then i'll just use the shower after you. There's towels on the heated rail that you can use" Madi said with a smile before she closes her door to let Simon shower.

Madi eventually picked an outfit, walked out of her closet and locked it, walking into her room after seeing Simon dressed and in her upstairs living room, "wow Si, dressed already! she says, hiding her outfit behind her back. "I'm just going to shower and get dressed Madi says with a smile. She shuts her doors, lays her outfit on her bed and takes a quick shower since she didn't need to wash her hair. She puts her hair into two braids and then goes into her room and gets dressed into her outfit. She puts on her fluffy light pink slippers that look like boots and the goes out of her room to Simon "Ok i'm ready, do you want to make some cookies and then go to my room so we can sit and chat?" she asks Simon.

Godmodding Simon with consent

@Simon Tilia

"... I'm going to pick my outfit out anyway and then i'll just use the shower after you", said Madison when they reached the bathroom on her floor. "There's towels on the heated rail that you can use."

Simon looked at the rail, not realising before that one of those towels was already meant for him. This was almost like staying at a hotel. "Okay, perfect", he said before Madison closed the bathroom door with a smile.

He took his schampo and shower gel from his toiletry bag and entered the shower. Since the cold outside seemed to have penetrated the house, a hot shower was just what he needed. Simon did not know much about meditation, but from what he had heard and read, the feeling people got when they meditated seem to be similar to his feeling when showering. It was like he could think all the more clearly. He closed his eyes and let the water pour down his face as he thought about the first day and night in Madison's house. The dinner, the story-telling in her bed, that moment when they fell to the floor which ended with Fudge Flies flying all over the place. Their breakfast and the cool library behind the secret door.

In two days they were going to be on the train back to Hogwarts. A part of him missed school. He missed Charms class, Defence Against the Dark Arts, the smell in the Greenhouses and practising spells. But another part of him was not ready to leave Madison's place. He hoped the time would run slowly. He also wondered if things would be different when they got back. It felt as if he had grown even closer to Madison just from staying at her house for one day. Would it be lonely to go back to being class mates and have obligations during the days, preventing them from spending time with each other so freely?

Simon realised he had been showering for a long time, almost forgetting to wash his hair and body. He quickly used the shower gel and schampo he had got for a Christmas present from his sister and got out of the steaming shower. How long had he been in here? Ten minutes? Fifteen? He tied the towel around his waist and returned to the bedroom. Madison was not there so he figured she was in her walk-in-closet, probably trying out outfits. He put his jeans and a red jumper on before waiting for Madison.

"Wow, Si, dressed already!", she said, hiding something behind her back. "I'm just going to shower and get dressed."

"Yeah, but it felt like I was in the shower for quite a long time." He chuckled. "Sure! Take your time."

He went over to his suitcase and pulled out his wand. Without casting any spells, he silently practised some of them in his head before imagining writing AQI and ORION in the air with the tip. Reluctantly, he put his wand back in his suitcase and pulled out a book to read until Madison returned. When she came back, he turned his back towards her so that she could get dressed.

"Ok, i'm ready. Do you want to make some cookies or just sit and chat?"

Simon turned around and almost dropped his jaw. "Wow. That is a beautiful dress. It really suits you, Madi." He smiled. "I don't know, perhaps we can make some cookies?"

Madi blushes slightly at Simon's compliment and giggled "Aww thanks Ori. I'm not really dressed for either but how about we bake some sugar cookies, then we can each decorate some and then go upstairs to chat we eat the cookies? Madi suggests with a giggle as they go downstairs.
________________
Both Madi and Simon are still the kitchen, with their aprons on and making icing colours do decorate their sugar cookies with whilst the cookies were baking in the oven. Madi has some white icing, three different pinks, some edible white pearls and some light pink edible glitter. Once Madi had finished making her icings she turned to Simon and smiled "Ori, I know we leave for Hogwarts in two days, but I just wanted to say that I've loved having you stay over and getting to spend time with you. Promise that when we get back, we'll still find time to hang out together and spend time with each other. I don't know if I could go ages without getting to hang out with you Ori, you're one of my best friends and I'd miss you so much if we couldn't hang out for ages when we're back at school" Madi said, a hint of sadness showing on her face at the thought of not getting to hang out as much with Simon once they get back to Hogwarts, but she knew they would find a way, the two of them always do.

Once the sugar cookies were baked and cooled, Madi put hers onto a board and started decorating them. The mix had made 20 so each of them got 10 to decorate. Madi wrote 'Aqi' in white on the last cookie before making the background a pretty pink colour.

Godmodding Simon with consent

@Simon Tilia

Just as with the pancakes earlier, Madison seemed to know what she was doing. This was not her first time baking sugar cookies. Simon, on the other hand, was not used to decorating. Although he was good at cooking, he was pretty bad at soups and sauces in particular (perhaps that was also why he struggles in Potions class) but now he could add cookie decoration to the list. He tried to create snowy fir trees but the first attempts looked more like up-side down Wi-Fi-symbols. However, he enjoyed baking with Madison nonetheless.

When Madison expressed her fear of not being able to hang out as much when being back at Hogwarts, she almost looked sad. He observed her facial expression carefully and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, Madi. You're my best friend too. Of course we will have time to hang out, even though we have classes and homework to attend to during the days. Come here", he said and put his arms around her, giving her a long hug. Madison did not reach higher than his shoulder. "Meanwhile, we make the best out of our last days of Christmas break."

When they finally ended the hug, he looked down at her with a comforting smile, still holding his hands on her bare arms. Her blue eyes almost made his cookies on the plate behind her seem pale. There was a moment of silence between them.

"Okay," he said. "Are we all set?"

Reducio

Simon's cookies:

Madi hugged Simon back and relaxed. Simon was very tall but the way he had his arms around her made Madi feel safe, knowing that her best friend will always be there for her.
After they finish the hug, Madi looks at Simon with her big blue eyes, however before he can say something, his phone rings. Madi smiled and ate one of her cookies, nodding before they headed upstairs to her room.
Both her and Simon were sitting on her bed with their cookies either side of them, they chatted about school, life and hopes for the future. Madi eventually snuggled up to Simon, laying her head on his shoulder and almost falling asleep whilst they were still talking. After a few minutes however, Madi rubbed her eyes and smiled up at Simon. She looked over at her clock and saw that the time was already 7:30pm. "Should we get ready for bed and then maybe play some board games before we go to bed?" Madi asks, sitting up and stretching after sitting down for so long. Part way through talking with each other, Madi and Simon had some pizza that was in the fridge from yesterday and somehow, to Madi, having leftover pizza with one of her best friends, made her feel even closer to Simon, even though she could think about how much closer they could be, she wanted to enjoy the last night she and Simon had together at her house before they went back to Hogwarts tomorrow. Madi got up, got changed into her pjs by hiding in her study room. Once she was changed, she went into her bathroom, brushed her teeth, did her hair into a low ponytail and washed her face. "What board game should we play first? Madi asks Simon, pulling out a box from under her bed that was full of fun board games.

Madi's clock on her bedside table

Madi's pjs for the night

Godmodding Simon with consent

@Simon Tilia

While talking in her bed, Madison eventually leaned her head on his shoulder. He was a bit surprised at first but found it to be both cosy and relaxing. His arm lay still between them because he did not know what to do with it. That was everything that separated their bodies from each other. After a while, her breath got heavier and he realized she had fallen asleep. He did not say anything. His eyelids were getting heavier as well and soon he had fallen asleep too. When he woke up and started moving, Madison woke up too, looking at him with a confused look on her face before she smiled.

He stretched and yawned.

"Should we get ready for bed and then maybe play some board games before we go to bed?", she asked.

“Yeah, sure! Let’s do that. Perhaps it's a bit early to go to bed anyway. I'm just gonna change into something more comfortable.”

Madison left the room to change into her pajamas. Meanwhile, Simon went over to his suitcase and changed into his black sleep shorts and a grey T-shirt. Without understanding why, he looked in the mirror and ran his fingers through his hair, fixing his hairstyle. When Madison returned from the bathroom he went to brush his teeth as well.

Back on the bed, he sat down in front of her in a tailor sit position. As she bent over the side of the bed to reach for the board games, he noticed the cookie pattern of her black sleep wear. Cookies. Instinctively he reached for the plate with cookies on the bedside table before stopping mid-way and resisted the temptation, recalling that he had already brushed his teeth. Besides, they would not want scraps in the bed before they went to sleep.

"What board game should we play first?"

"I don't know. You pick one! By the way, I see we go full cookie theme today", he said with a cheeky grin and nodded to her sleep wear. "I think yours tasted even better than mine, I must say. Either you've had a lot of practice in the kitchen, or you're a natural."

Madison giggled and smiled "hehe thanks Ori, i'm glad you like my pjs, I got them last year from a department store in London that i went to with my mum and it was closing down. I found them at the back of a random rack and they were my size and only £15 so i thought I may as well get them she says with a smile as she sits on the floor opposite Simon.

"yours tasted great too Ori, I've just done a lot of baking with my mum and dad, we make sugar cookies every year around the christmas holidays and new year. My brother always does his favourite quidditch team logo but I like to do cute designs instead, i tried to do penguins last year, though they kinda turned into snowmen with top hats, though they still tasted good" Madi says, giggling as she picks snakes and ladders "an oldie but a classic, which thing do you want to be Ori? Madi asks, giving him the choice of a a Yorkie, Big Ben, a London Cab or a Top Hat. Madi picks the London Yorkie with the bow between its ears and places it on the starting square. Madi sits, watches Simon and smiles, she was loving having her best friend with her and knew that, even when they got back to Hogwarts, the two of them would still hang out whenever they had the chance and she couldn't wait see what else they would get up to together, or even, if this friendship could blossom into something more.

OOC Note
The figurines Madi and Simon use for snakes and ladders, are similar to those used in Monopoly

@Simon Tilia

"Hehe thanks Ori, i'm glad you like my pjs, I got them last year from a department store in London that i went to with my mum and it was closing down. I found them at the back of a random rack and they were my size and only £15 so i thought I may as well get them."

"Really? Well, they suit you."

Madison picked Snakes and Ladders. "An oldie but a classic. Which thing do you want to be, Ori?"

"Wow, I have not played this game since I was little!", he said. "Hmm... I'll go with Big Ben."

They put the figures on the board. Madison got to start since she was four months younger than him. Between the turns they chatted a little, but for the most part, they were completely focused on the game. From time to time, he looked at Madison without her noticing. A strand of hair had loosened from her pony tail and hung down her cheek. He felt a bit sad that this short trip to London was soon about to come to an end.

"I'm gonna miss this", he said and paused for a moment. "To hang out with you. Like this. Just you and me. Not that I don't enjoy spending time with you at school, of course, but it's harder to find places where you can be alone, and there are all the rules, all the obligations... And the fact that we are in different houses, so we can never hang out after curfew..." He met her eyes and smiled. "... well, we can, but, anyway... I will look forward to coming back here. And you must come and visit me in Edinburgh some time. I'm sure you will like our house and my parents. They will most certainly like you."

He rolled the dice and was finally able to take the lead. "Hah!", he said with a look of triumph. "I actually wanted to have a snake when I was younger. Like a big one. Not those little corn snakes. I got to hold a yellow boa once at a zoo. My mum did it too but my dad didn't dare." Simon chuckled. "But I prefer Hoax. I would not have it any other way. Are you cool with snakes or are you afraid of them?" He smiled and made a gesture where he pretended his arm was a slithering snake coming towards her.