Eleanor shivered at the cold crisp air that was brought on such an early December day.

It had been a suprise that they had a Quidditch match even with weather conditions like this, kids could have gotten sick flying on those brooms with the weather as cold as it was.

All Eleanor could do was sigh and hope that the players had been warm enough.

"Hello Ms Atler!" Greeted Horace Slughorn, "Mind if I have a sit?"

She shook her head, "Not at all and it's Adler." She corrected him as he had sat down beside her. It was quite odd to Eleanor that he chose to sit with her when the teachers box had been mostly empty. Maybe he just wanted company.

He chose to ignore her subtle correction. Instead, he sighed into the cold air. Seeming almost out of breath from climbing those stairs.

"Mind telling me who's playing on much a cold day madam?" Asked Slughorn

"Slytherin vs. Gryffindor, I believe." She stated as she crossed her arms to keep herself warm from the breeze that blew through her brunette hair

Horace seemed to be looking around in slight shock, "I'm suprised your beloved isn't here to keep you company."

Eleanor turned her head towards her old professor, "Sorry?" She had asked not understanding what he had been talking about and found herself scared that he would somehow bring up Sirius.

A chuckle came from the round short man, "Severus of course! Who else would you think I'd be talking about Missy? Unless... that engagment ring doesn't belong to him... I won't tell! I'm quite good at keeping secrets—"

"Oh, no..." Eleanor cleared her throat, "Severus and I aren't together... and I'm not engaged... not anymore."

She covered her ring with her hand shamefully and slumped down a bit after saying that.

"I apologize for the misunderstanding. It had only made sense to me that the two of you were together because well you two are always together." He continued on with the conversation about Severus, "I've never seen someone put a smile on his face the way that you do."

Eleanor listened to his words whether she wanted to hear it or not, but she found herself flushed at the thought of Severus only smiling around her.

"Really?" She asked

Horace nodded in response, "I remember him as a student, he was often alone. It's nice seeing that he doesn't seem all that alone anymore."

A small smile formed on her lips. "That is nice." She admited

He grinned, "You know, you two should come to my Holiday Party before the holidays. It will be held the on coming Friday, but make sure to let me know in advance! I have a limited amount of chairs to put in one room you know."

"Oh thank you, I'll try my best to be there." Eleanor smiled as she watched Slughorn give her a hopeful look that she'd arrive.

Then he looked up, seeing Severus walking into the teachers box. "I'll leave you to it! Enjoy the game!"
He said getting up and sitting somewhere else.

"I know that these are too big, but they should work fine." Severus walked up behind Eleanor with an extra pair of gloves he had fetched from his chamber.

She turned, taking the dark oversized gloves, "Thank you."

A shy smile creeped on her lips.

Severus wasn't done as he undid his scarf that Eleanor had gotten him last Christmas and placed it around her neck. Wrapping the heavy fabric around her mouth and nose.

A grin slightly formed on his lips as he did so.

She was just too cute.

"I mean it you know," She continued to stare up at him as he sat down where Horace had been sitting. Her voice had been muffled from the scarf that covered her, "You don't have to take care of me, but you do anyways. Thank you."

His eyes darted down at her, "Ugh, say it like that and you almost make me regret it." He teased from the wholesome gratitude he was given, but he had already felt the need to take care of her since he met her.

All she could do was grin at him from under the scarf that smelled of burnt embers; like the comfort of a lit fireplace.

Soon enough the game began.

It was somewhat hard for Eleanor to keep score of the game as she kept glancing up at an unaware Severus.

He was actually quite handsome the more she noticed every small unique feature on his face, but she immediately stopped before Severus had turned to catch her gaze and focused on the match.

Since Katie Bell had been in the hospital wing, Dean Thomas had taken her spot as a fill in.

Ron had been doing spectacularly well, given the fact that he's never been on the team before until this year.

Harry had nearly lost the match if he didn't distract the Slytherin Seeker in time to catch the snitch.

After the game had been over Eleanor and Severus found themselves wondering the empty corridors as most students had been in their common room celebrating or at lunch.

"You know, while you were gone Slughorn invited us to his holiday party thats happening next friday." Eleanor spoke up as they awaited for the staircase to move the direction they were heading or at least where Severus was heading, Eleanor had only followed along.

He raised his eyebrow down at her, "Did you tell him that I'd rather choke on egg nog?"

She shoved him a bit at his rude response, even though she knew he had been partially joking. "If you don't go I'll be all alone with nobody to talk to."

"Is this your way of guilt tripping me?" He questioned

"Why? Is it working?" A hopeful smile grew on her face.

"No."

Her smile dropped.

He couldn't help, but stifle a laugh.

"You can go, then you can come back and tell me how horrible it was." Severus walked up the steps as it directed him towards the third floor where his classroom had been.

In all honesty, it wasn't that he didn't want to go. He easily could suffer through any social gathering if Eleanor were around, but Severus had to meet with someone. Particularly, Albus Dumbledore.

Yes, He could have explained why he couldn't go, but he also didn't want questions about why he was visiting the headmaster on a Friday night.

Eleanor stayed put on the staircase, which made Severus stop in his tracks as soon as he noticed that she hadn't been following along.

Just as he expected, she had a saddened expression on her face.

Shoulders slumped and her bambi eyes avoided his own.

He felt like he had just kicked a puppy.

Now he felt bad.

"You really want me to go with you?" He asked back at her. His voice had been more quiet while he walked back to her.

"It's fine." She shrugged

"No, it's not." Severus out a slightly frustrated sigh. Not that it had been directed towards her, but himself. "Alright, I'll be there."

Her face raised a bit.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do Severus." Eleanor stated

He shook his head, "You know I'd do anything with you Eleanor."

Out of shock, Eleanor swallowed at his words.

His fingers brushed over his lips. Even Severus found himself to be bashful about what came out of his mouth.

Way to be subtle— Might as well ask her to marry you while you're at it.

Her cheeks began to burn hot, she back away from the staircase, "Okay, I'll let Horace know we'll be there then."

"Okay." He barley spoke back as he took notice of how red her face had gotten,"Wait— You're not coming with me?" He pointed towards where his classroom was.

"Oh, I'll be there in a moment. I just forgot that I was going to check up on Katie Bell while I'm near the hospital wing. I'll be up after." Her words came off more awkward than she wanted them to.

"Of course." He spoke as he watched to walk down the stair case to the second floor.

Severus pondered if he should go after her or not.

"You were supposed to kiss her you idiot!" A painting shouted behind Severus.

He slowly turned with an irritated expression written all over his face before leaving without a word being spoken.

Eleanor walked down the corridor with heavy thoughts on her mind. She felt like a bashful school girl all over again.

Ever since Slughorn mistaked them as lovers it sort of began to make sense in her mind.

They were always together, always talking, happy around eachother, most of the time...

It didn't help that Severus did such sweet gestures with her. She had still been walking around with his oversized scarf around her neck and gloves near the size of a Quaffle in the pocket of her coat.

She found herself frustrated at the thought of it— her own emotions.

"What happened next?" Seria asked as Eleanor explained what had happened the day before.

The two of them found themselves in Hogsmeade Sunday morning. Particularly, the Three Broomsticks.

Eleanor had excused herself to do holiday shopping, although it had only been an excuse to meet with Seria who she owled night prior to meet up with her.

"What do you mean what happened next? I do what I'd usually do, I freak out and keep all of my emotions in until it eventually kills me." Eleanor spoke through a half way sip of butterbeer.

"So, you haven't told him that you you've felt the same way?" Seria encouraged her friend to open up more about her feelings towards Severus.

"No." Eleanor muttered softly, "And if I did, I'd feel terrible."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?" Seria preasured

"Because my fiance just died, Seria. I'm still mourning. I'm still miserable and sad." Eleanor had finally broke, "I can't help, but feel guilty that I'm finding myself to realize that I might be in love when someone I already loved had left me... in this case it's been two people so far." She included Ted's incident as well.

The blonde woman set aside her tea, taking a deep breath before looking at Eleanor directly in the eye.

Her blue eyes scanned her like she had been reading her friends own mind.

"I'm going to be honest with you. You're not going to like it. Damn you might even hate me for it, but as your best friend and someone who's known you practically most of your life— You are lying to yourself." Seria began, "I think you've known that you've had feelings for this guy for a long time, maybe even before Sirius escaped from Azkaban."

Eleanor felt her throat swell up.

"I think you knew once you got with Sirius you had already messed up. I think you thought you were happy because you saw a familiar face that reminded you of when James was around, as soon as he pulled out that ring I had already saw the hesitation in your life choices. Which excluded your own. You probably saw how happy Sirius and Harry were and you went with it because you'd do anything to make your nephew feel like he has a home."
Seria grabbed Eleanor's hand comfortingly, "But he doesn't need a home Ellie, he needs you. He needs his aunt. And you need to find your happiness, to hell with the mourning. You shouldn't feel guilty to love someone who makes you happy. I think you should give this Severus guy a chance."

Eleanor nodded slowly as she wiped a tear away with the sleeve of her knitted sweater.

Seria pressed her lips together and got out of her seat to wrap her arms around her friend.

"And if he does anything to hurt you I'll kill him myself." Seria whispered which caused Eleanor to choke out a laugh, "Now, let's go find this guy a present that shows him how you really feel." She winked

Eleanor furrowed her eyebrows together at Seria's suggestive nudge, "What? No— I was thinking a simple card?"

"Fine. Be boring."

AN: I'm going to admit that it's been hard pushing myself to write recently. I'll try my best to get better at updating my chapters on a regular schedule, I always feel bad when I don't. I love you 🖤 xx