Happy Valentine's Day, Ellie

February 1998
Ellie

Ellie stared at her lunch plate, finding herself not so hungry. Even though she had spoken to Seamus, he was still upset about her avoiding him. Granted she had glossed over a lot, namely the fact that she was doing it for his own safety. Actually, she had only mentioned that she heard rumors going around about them. Perhaps she should have told him everything. But she didn't really see any other way. What Nott said was true - if he found out, it wouldn't take long for others. And she didn't trust any of the Slytherins to keep the information to themselves. No, they'd likely go straight to the Carrows. And then Seamus would be in danger. More so than he already was on his own.

"Ellie, you okay?" Ginny asked softly. Ellie looked over at her but before she could answer, there was a large 'thop' that caused bits of food to fly up on her. She turned and looked down, seeing a large, rather ostentatious bouquet of flowers there. Immediately, her cheeks began to burn as the students around her started whispering. She wasn't sure why she was embarrassed - she had been "dating" Nott for nearly the whole year at this point. But still, she didn't like that he was throwing it around like this.

She reached for the attached note, reading a short message from him before sliding it into her pocket. She glanced across the table, seeing Seamus glaring across the room at the Slytherin table. Huffing, she gathered up her things and the flowers, intending to rush off and put them in her room before anyone else saw them, though she was sure that the whole school would be talking about it regardless.

"Ellie?"

Groaning, she stopped and turned around, seeing Nott had followed her out of the great hall. At least he hadn't approached her in front of the entire school. That would have been far more embarrassing.

"What?" she asked.

"I… do you not like the flowers?" he asked as he walked up to her. "I thought all girls liked flowers… and I remembered that your mum and grandmother… well, their greenhouses have been famous for years, so…"

"I…" Ellie looked down at the bouquet. "They're lovely, I just… never really been one for large displays of affection… or wealth." She looked back up at him. He nodded, then looked around to make sure they were alone before reaching into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box.

"Actually… I've got something else… something a bit more practical. Didn't want to give it to you in front of everyone, though," he said, opening it and stepping towards her. It was a small silver charm in the shape of a heart. "To add to your bracelet. It'll tell me if you're in danger… so that I can help." Ellie didn't say anything, just watched as he pulled it out and attached it to her bracelet. Ellie stared at it a moment, a funny feeling in her stomach. She then looked up at him, finding that Nott was avoiding looking in her eyes and seemed rather nervous, which was unlike him.

She couldn't help but wonder if he was doing all of this because he really did fancy her. Bugger, that was the last thing she needed to deal with right now. Though part of her started to feel a bit guilty. If he did and finally got around to saying it, she didn't relish having to tell him she didn't feel the same.

"Why are you doing this?" she blurted out, surprising herself. Hadn't she just been thinking that she didn't want to know if he fancied her? Stupid, bloody mouth, she complained in her head. Nott finally looked up and met her eyes.

"Truth be told… I don't really believe it… everything that everyone else does. That my parents do… But with both of them being Death Eaters, not like I can really escape it. However… I just thought… if I can help you. Keep at least you safe, then I suppose that's worth it… At least it's something I can do..." Ellie just stared at him, finding that she still had more questions, but would leave it for now.

"If you do want to run away…" she said softly, glancing around. "We could help you, you know." Nott sighed. He stared at Ellie, his eyes swirling with pain and a bit of guilt. But then it was gone and replaced with resolution.

"It's… too late for me. But not for you," he said before turning and walking off.

Ellie huffed as she saw the portrait hole come into view. She just wanted to get the flowers to her room and then get to class, forgetting about everything going on. Ruddy boys making her feel all sorts of odd. She was worried about Theodore, more so than before. And then there was Seamus and his bloody glaring. It was a miracle the whole school hadn't figured things out with the way he had been acting lately.

"Ellie."

Stopping, she sighed and turned around, seeing Seamus quickly walking up to her.

"Can we talk?" he asked. She looked around, seeing that they were alone. She nodded and he motioned for her to follow him, leading her to an empty room down the hall. "Do you really need to keep avoiding me? Is it because… have you really started feeling something for him? Just… be honest with me. I've seen how he looks at you... And I can take it."

Ellie's mouth dropped open, stunned a bit. How many times had she assured him? But at the same time, she could tell that he was genuinely worried, so she snapped her mouth shut and put the flowers down before stepping up to him.

"I don't fancy him," she said simply. "Really, and it's getting a bit tiring having to remind you all the time. Do you not trust me?"

"I do, but… how long do we have to keep away from each other?" he asked, his emotions clear in his eyes. Ellie sighed and shook her head. She needed to be completely honest with him now, it seemed.

"I don't know, but… I told you that Nott found out about us," she said. He nodded. "And that if he could, it wouldn't take long for others to. And… well… he also said that it wouldn't be good for you if the Carrows found out. For the time being, they can't touch me, but they could hurt you to get to me."

Seamus frowned slightly.

"You mean… this is all because you're worried… about me?" he asked. Ellie nodded and reached up, lightly touching a new bruise on his cheek.

"Can you blame me? You're already in detention more often than not," she replied. "I couldn't stand it if something really bad happened to you because of me." Seamus sighed and shook his head. He reached out and took her hands.

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me," he said. "In fact… I can help you. Let me protect you. Not him." Ellie frowned slightly.

"As much as I would prefer that… you can't stop the Carrows like he can. Or the Slytherins," she said. "Can you?" Seamus was silent. They both knew the answer. As a half-blood and Gryffindor, he didn't have any standing with any of them. "As long as Nott's father thinks I'm happily dating his son, they can't touch me."

"I wish you didn't have to do this," he said softly, pulling her closer. Ellie wrapped her arms around him, all of a sudden finding her preoccupation with how Nott felt about her silly. It didn't matter. While she still worried about him, she cared far more about boy standing before her.

"Me too. But it's not forever. And it's not like I have to marry him or anything," Ellie replied. She stepped back and looked up at Seamus. "It's just for now…"

"Until this all ends," Seamus added. "Whenever that is."

"Perhaps if we were… far more careful, we could start meeting up again," she suggested. Seamus smiled and kissed her.

"I'd like that," he said. "Ah… also…"

He stepped back and reached into his robe pocket, pulling out a box. He opened it, revealing a small silver charm in the shape of a quaffle. She chuckled and looked up at him.

"Thought you could add it to your bracelet. It's got a protection charm on it as well," he said. Ellie nodded, taking it from the box and putting it on the bracelet, though being careful to hide the one that Theodore had given her. Seemed the two boys in her life were more alike than either of them thought.

"It's beautiful," she said, smiling up at him. She then kissed him. "I'll cherish it always."

"Good," Seamus said.

"Now… I really must go," she said, stepping away from him. "I'll go first." Seamus nodded.

Ellie gathered her things, then turned and left the room, being careful to make sure that no one saw her. She then made her way into the common room and up to her room, a small smile on her face as she put the flowers down and started to check her bag, making sure she had all the books she needed for today.

Perhaps things would be alright.

"They really are lovely," Ginny said as she looked at the roses that Ellie had put into a vase later on that night. She looked over at her. "He does know how to pick out beautiful flowers."

"That's not all," Ellie said. She hopped off her bed and walked over, holding her wrist out. Ginny took her wrist in her hands and studied it.

"Two charms?" she asked, the surprise clear on her face.

"Well… that one is from Theodore, and… that one is from Seamus," Ellie said. "Both have protection charms on them." Ginny chuckled.

"Seems they think alike," she replied, letting Ellie's wrist go. "And have at least one thing in common… the desire to keep you safe." Ellie sighed and walked back over to her bed.

"Yea, well… doesn't really feel like I'm in much danger at the moment," she replied lightly. "Even Alecto has been taking it easy on me. Her brother doesn't even acknowledge my presence. And I haven't noticed any of the Slytherins so much as looking at me, well, save Theodore's friends. But that's only when we hang out."

"Likely thanks to Nott's father," Ginny said, walking over and sitting next to her. "Is it really so bad? Dating him?"

"Horrible," Ellie said with a grin and a dramatic roll of her eyes. "I don't know what he sees in Zabini. Such a wicked flirt. Really… it's the absolute worst thing in the world having to be around him all the time." Ginny shoved her lightly.

"I'm serious. What do you talk about with him?" she asked.

"Well… mostly we do our homework together, but we talk about other things… quidditch. Wizard's Chess," Ellie said. "A bit about our families. Though I talk about mine more so than he talks about his."

"Guess I could understand that," Ginny replied. Ellie's thoughts turned to how things were before her mother left Selwyn Manor. "You didn't like to talk about things before…"

"And yet, you still got it out of me anyway," Ellie replied. Ginny scoffed slightly.

"I'm your best friend. It's my job," she said.

"And it did help… talking about it with you. To be honest, I suppose that's what makes this easier… I understand him. And he understands me," Ellie said. "We do have similar backgrounds and all. He said that he doesn't really buy into all of it. The blood purity stuff. Pureblood way of life… but his parents are Death Eaters. Thinks there's no way out of it for him…"

"That's horrible," Ginny said. Ellie nodded.

"I get it. That trapped feeling. When Mum was with him and I thought he was my father… I just… I knew in a way that no matter what I wanted or thought, I'd never be free of him," she said softly. "That he was going to decide my future for me and there wasn't a thing I could do about it."

"Surely there would have been something," Ginny said. "And it doesn't matter now. Your mum ran away. Got the divorce. He can't force you to do anything now. You can do whatever you want in the future." Ellie sighed and nodded.

"Yea, but… Evan Selwyn is out there somewhere," she replied. "Merlin knows what he's planning…"

"You know that none of us will let him get to you or your mum," Ginny said earnestly. "I mean… you've got the Order. DA. We're all looking out for you two. And Ryan. If we have anything to do about it, he'll never get close enough to try anything." Ellie smiled wanly.

"At least there's that," she said with a sigh. "Though sometimes I worry if it's enough. Things are getting bad…"

"But it does us no good to sit around and fret about it," Ginny said. "Not when there are things that we can do. And if I know you as well as I think I do – which is quite well, Ellie Black – you're a fighter. And your mum is a fighter." Ellie stared at her best friend a few moments before hugging her.

"Thanks… I needed that," she said softly, her eyes going to her trunk where she kept the box of letters from her father. More and more lately she had been reading through them again, finding comfort in his words. In the fact that she was half Sirius Black. And if he could fight in the last war and survive, then so could she. Albeit without a 13-year stint in Azkaban.

"Seriously, Ellie. You're much stronger than you give yourself credit sometimes," Ginny continued. Ellie scoffed slightly, pushing her friend back.

"I beg your pardon. I know how strong I am. I am the daughter of-"

"Yes, I know," Ginny said, cutting her off with a grin. "We all know." Ellie chuckled. "Now, if you're done, we really should get to the room of requirement. The meeting's about to start."

Ellie hopped off her bed and grabbed her wand, sliding it into her robe pocket.

"Let's go. Do you remember the password for tonight…"

I have finished writing! Hooray! This now means that I'm going to be posting a ton. Though I do need to do some editing as I go alone. But I'm just happy to have it finished. ^_^ And I suppose that it's a bit late for this warning, but whatever. Yes, this story goes off canon. Should probably mark it as AU. Couldn't really help myself as the story came to me… Anyway…

Thanks for reading and following!