She shook her head in front of the mirror, trying to focus her thoughts back on the present. With shaky hands she brushed away the few golden curls that had fallen messily over her face, sighing in frustration before deciding to simply braid it all in a single long plait. It took her a couple of minutes to realize that her gloves were making the job a lot more difficult that needed to, but she did not really care. She fumbled with the hair tie, the little black elastic band getting caught in the wool of her gloves, pulling at her hair painfully as she tried to twist it at the end of her braid. It was not working.

With a grunt, she yanked the hair tie loose, watching as the end of her braid started to fall apart, her stubborn curls returning to their place. She pulled away her gloves as well, throwing them carelessly over her perfectly made bed. She would not need them anyway. She was no longer in the mood of walking out onto the snowed grounds and watch the magical colorful boxes reveal whatever enchantment they had inside. She should not have eavesdropped. Merlin she wished she hadn't.

Sighing once more to herself, she made her way towards the closed wooden door, her hand quickly tuning the golden doorknob. She would find something else to do downstairs. It was better than staying in Arwen's room anyway, where her thoughts would do nothing than revisit the short conversation she had accidentally overheard. She rushed down the steps two at a time, wondering how she managed not to fall on her face a couple of times.

Just as it had been minutes before, the house was complete empty. Loud and cheerful voices echoed from outside, followed every couple of minutes by a round of laughter. So they still hadn't run out of magical boxes. She walked past the kitchen, letting out a breath in relief as she no longer heard any voices there, the door left half-way open, revealing only the empty grand room, a couple of plates and cups still on the small breakfast table in one corner.

She made her way towards the living room, the flickering light of the floating candles casting long orange reflections on the tall walls, dancing in yellow shadows. She stopped dead in her tracks, just underneath the wide arched opening that led inside the vast room. It was not empty. A lone figure sat on the farthest couch, by one of the wall long windows. He had not noticed her yet, his head looking outside the tall crystal pane almost disinterested, bored, his long legs spread over the cushions in front of him. Long silver hair fell in perfect waves of silk over his shoulders, contrasting sharply against his expensive navy blue sweater and disappearing through the cushions at his back. He looked handsome. Almost too handsome, and for a second all she could think about was that short second when his lisp had been on hers, his warm breath brushing over her face.

And there it was again, that uncomfortable knot tying her stomach and intestines tightly, and for a second she debated whether or not to stay or to run from the room before her presence was noticed. She wanted to flee, to go anywhere else, and yet she wanted to stay, wanted his eyes to turn in her direction. He was both the last person she wanted to see at the moment, and also the only person she wanted to see.

It seemed she took a little too long to make a decision, for suddenly icy blue eyes had flown in her direction, landing straight on her deep brown ones, and she could not look away.

"I thought you were outside, with everyone else." Her voice broke the peaceful silence, the only other sound in the room was the crackling of the large fireplace as the languid flames slowly consumed the burning wood. He took a couple of seconds to reply, those icy irises still piercing through hers, so sharp yet uncharacteristically gentle, like an oddly warm winter.

"It's snowing." He pointed out, his eyes momentarily leaving hers to throw a glance at the long crystal, and for the first time she noticed the thousands of little white flakes dancing furiously outside, starting to accumulate heavily at the exterior windowsill. A small smile drew on her face, and she could almost smell the falling snow, feel the flakes kissing her skin and falling on her eyelashes. But her smile was quick to fade, her heart sinking deeply at the perfectly calmed bored expression on his face.

"You can't be out in the snow?" She phrased it as a question, even though she already knew the answer. Crystal blue eyes met hers once more, gentle, his expression still a mask of perfect serenity.

"I shouldn't tonight." His musical deep voice was as serene as his eyes. He did not elaborate but she did not need any more explanations, the voices she had heard arguing in the kitchen once again playing on her head. He was fine now, he looked well, tall and regal as he ever did, and to any looking eye there would appear to be absolutely nothing wrong with him. But he had been sick two days in a row before today. Of course he could not be outside in the snow.

Her heart clenched tightly, even though she did not show it. It was unfair. It was so unfair. It was Christmas Eve, and it was snowing. There was nothing more magical than snow on Christmas Even in her opinion, and everyone else was already outside, probably enjoying a snowball fight, or building snowmen, or snow angels. And he could not join.

"Why are you not outside?" His voice brought her back from her thoughts, taking a couple of steps inside the room in his direction.

"It's freezing outside." She explained, not adding that she had previously been looking for gloves in order to join the others outside. Instead, she walking towards one of the cushioned seats next to where he sat, not showing any interest in the snow outside.

"I like the cold." His voice was so low it was nearly a whisper, ad for a second she did not know whether he was talking to her or to himself.

"I know." She groaned. "You picked the coldest corner in the whole giant room." She complained, crossing he arms tightly around her chest and shivering lightly at the cool air she could feel radiating from the freezing window crystals.

A musical laugh floated over the room, the unexpected sound feeling somehow warmed than the dancing flames in the fireplace, making her lips curve up in a faint smile. A heavy woolen blanket suddenly landed on her head, and she quickly wrapped it around her before nodding her head in thanks.

"We can move a little closer to the fire, if you're too cold." He offered, his voice still that low peaceful sound, and for a second she did not know what to reply to that. He did not want to move closer to the fire, she could see it through the impenetrable crystal blue of his eyes. And yet, he was offering.

"I'm fine here." She shrugged it off, wrapping the blanket closer to her body. He nodded his head in silence, for long second not adding anything else as his icy blue eyes swept the vast room.

"Are those…still enchanted?" He asked, and her eyes followed the line of his wintery gaze only to land on the opened bag of marshmallows sitting not too far from them on an elegant silver tray.

"No." She laughed, shaking her head. "Their father made them put away the bag with that was enchanted. That bag is safe." She could still see Elladan's face as Mr. Peredhel had made him put away every single marshmallow in the other bag, all the while chastising him and his twin brother.

Thranduil rose to his feet, and for a split second she was reminded of just how tall he was. Slowly, he made his way to the silver tray, his steps so graceful it almost seemed as though he were gliding. His long pale fingers reached for the bag, lazily pulling out one of the white fluffy marshmallows and impaling it at the tip of a long wooden stick. And then, he approached her, standing in front of her sitting figure in complete silence, his hand offering the stick to her.

"Would you?" He said quietly, his eyes nodding in the direction of the roaring fire. And yet, even though his face remained that perfect mask of serenity, his eyes gentle yet unreadable, she did not miss the slight hint of hesitation in his voice, for a split second almost shy of asking, that usual confidence smirk he carried completely gone.

"Of course." She whispered, nodding her head and blinking a couple of times at the unexpected request. Her fingers curled around the offered wooden stick as she rose to her feet, making her way towards the grand fireplace.

"Make one for me too." She called behind her back casually, watching out of the corner of her eyes as he made his way towards the tray once more, preparing another stick for her. And still, it was as if something else had broken inside of her, the little things she so obviously missed suddenly coming into light. He had not wanted to be left out. Who wanted to be left out of the fun while everyone else melted delicious marshmallows in the fire? But who would he have asked to hold the little white treat in the fire for him? She knew it was easier for him to remain distant and aloof than asking her or Legolas to help him in the presence of others.

She silently accepted the second offered stick, watching out of the corner of her eyes as he moved to sit down on the couch directly behind the fireplace, closer than she knew he normally liked yet far enough from the flames. Sigrid lowered herself on the carpet in front of the languid orange flames, carefully holding the tow sticks in their orange and yellow tongues, watching the marshmallows slowly starting to melt and brown. She handed the stick back to him when it was done, watching him hold it silently for a while, waiting for it to cool off a little.

"How come you are in Slytherin?" The words had left her mouth before she had time to stop herself, speaking her thoughts out loud. Ice blue eyes flew in her direction, looking at her almost amusedly underneath arched brows.

"Are you judging me again, Bowman?" There was a hint of laughter in his perfectly peaceful voice, the corner of his lips curving up in a crooked smile that once again made butterflies flutter in her stomach.

"No." She shook her head, letting out a light nervous laugh. "I'm just wondering."

She had tried to answer that question for herself so many times before. At the begging she had been so convinced that he the description of Slytherin, the living testament as to why the Gryffindors hated the Slytherins so much, with his arrogant smile and regal presence and distant and aloof looks. And yet the more she knew him, the more that façade crumbled apart, and it became harder and harder for her to picture him in the Slytherin stereotype she had been taught by the fellow Gryffindors.

"You know being in Slythering doesn't mean you have dark magic in you?" He raised an eyebrow as he spoke, clearly reading through her stereotyping, and she felt momentarily embarrassed for having asked, even though he still looked amused at her question.

"You do have dark magic in you." She pointed out, her eyes throwing an involuntary glance at his left arm before her eyes went suddenly wide, realizing what she had said. Merlin, she should learn to think before speaking! Only she would so casually make fun of a curse that in reality caused him so much pain.

And yet, contrary to anything she had expected, he laughed. The musical sound was so oddly free and real, not than practiced and perfectly composed small chuckles of his. And for a second she was left astonished there, still sitting on the carpet by the fireplace.

"I can't believe you said that." He managed to add in between fits of laughter, his wide eyes looking at her a little too entertained.

"I'm so sorry." She blurted out quickly, already feeling the burning in her cheeks which meant she was probably as red as the rich leather couch in front of her.

"It's fine." He waved her off with an elegant movement of the hand, instead standing up and handing her another marshmallow on a stick for her to place in the fire for him, his wide grin never leaving his face.

"It was….refreshing." He added lowering himself elegantly on the couch once more, icy blue eyes looking through hers, still sparkling with the ghost of his smile. "Ada and Legolas just tiptoe around it all the time…as if I will break if I hear anyone mentioning it."

She swallowed once, not knowing what to say to that, instead focusing on holding the white fluffy treat on the fire for a couple of minutes.

"So, how come you're in Slytherin?" She returned the conversation to the main topic, watching the marshmallow slowly brown on the long wooden stick.

"I was going to be placed in Ravenclaw." Now that she had not been expecting, his voice once again that gentle peaceful sound, her brown eyes flying in his direction, landing on his tall figure, reclining comfortably on the couch. She handed him the stick with the new marshmallow and he quietly thanked her with a small smile, as she lowered herself on the couch next to him.

"And what happened?" She asked, crossing her legs under her on the cushions and kicking her boots off, which fell on the carpet with a silent thud.

"You say as though it was a bad thing." He pointed out, once again arching one of his perfect eyebrows high on his flawless forehead. "What happened was, the Hat was going to place in Ravenclaw. 'A wise and ready mind' it said'You would do well in Ravenclaw'. And I told it that if it though I was wise, it would thus also know that being wise in my case would be to be in a house where people would ask the least questions, where I could be left alone if I wished to, where my occasional absences would be ignored enough by the rest of the school for me to have a relative normal school year, and most importantly where I could be close to the lake. That would be wise for me. And then, the Hat laughed and placed me in Slytherin instead."

"It certainly worked out." She chuckled, even though there was a part of her that still fluttered with nerves, her heart suddenly soaring. He was telling her this. He, the one who only ever had light small talk, and never spoke about himself. This was new to her, and part of her did not know how to react to it. "You've been six years at Hogwarts and everyone still hates you for being apparently too self-absorbed to attend regular classes like everyone else."

"I rather they think that." He added quietly with a shrug, swallowing the whole marshmallow in a single bite. "I don't mind the talking, and the whispering and the rumors. I don't mid the glares either. They are a hundred times better than the pitying looks they would give me if they knew the truth. Those I can't stand."

"Why are you in our Potions class?" She asked, not knowing why he was suddenly telling her all this, but he only laughed lightly before shaking his head.

"What is this? An interview?" There it was again, that raised eyebrow that made his eyes looked even bluer.

"Just curious." She raised her hands in the air in a gesture of peace, even though she could not hold back her smile.

"You're too curious, Bowman."

"Am not." She muttered defensively, narrowing her eyes at his mocking grin.

"Why do you hate the twins so much?" She asked another question, realizing that the previous one wouldn't be answered, and she could see his brow raising curiously again on his forehead.

"Why so many questions?"

"Don't know." She shrugged, brushing away a few rebel curls over her shoulders. "Why do you hate them?"

"I get a question after this one." He added, letting out one of his musical chuckles. "You've asked too many yourself."

"Fine." She agreed, even though she was already starting to dread what he would ask her. "Why do you hate them so much?"

"I don't hate them." He shrugged, his voice completely honest. Outside, the snow had gotten heavier, the crystals now covered in a heavy layer of frost, and she wondered how it was that everyone else was still outside. They must be having fun if they still hadn't come back inside.

"Well, then why do they hate you?" She rephrased the question, her eyes drowning in those pool so icy blue, so clear, yet so unknown, unreadable.

"That's two questions." He pointed out, crossing his arms elegantly, and she let out a laugh, standing up from her place on the couch.

"Where are you going?" He narrowed his eyes in confusion just as she rounded the couch, her socks brushing against the rich carpet and making her hair stick to her sweater with static.

"That counts as your question." She teased with a laugh, picking out a couple of candy canes from the enormous Christmas tree.

"No, it doesn't." He shook his head, his waterfall of silver hair moving along like the finest silk.

"You want hot chocolate?" She offered, already making her way towards he kitchen, a smile growing on her face as she heard his light elegant footsteps following her.

"I don't like hot chocolate." He said just as they entered the giant kitchen, making her turn around to face him almost perplexed.

"What do you like?" It was her turn to raise an eyebrow at him, even though he stood more than a head taller than her, his posture always so regal, so powerful. He didn't like candy, now he didn't like hot chocolate….what was wrong with him?

"Water's fine." He shrugged, walking over to sit down on one of the wooden chairs lining the breakfast table. He looked tired, she could tell, even though he tried hard not to show it.

"Water?" She muttered incredulously, narrowing her eyes in his direction. "It's Christmas Eve, the night you eat and drink as many treats and sweets as you wish, and you want to have water?"

"There's nothing wrong with water." He muttered in return, once again seeming a little too amused by her words, and she rolled her eyes at him, walking over to one of the higher cupboards.

"It's boring, that's what's wrong with it." She muttered as she rose to the tip of her toes, scanning over the collection of mugs and glasses of every shape and color the twins had there.

"Do you need help?" He mocked her, starting to rise from his chair, but she stopped him with a hand.

"I've got it." She insisted. He was a lot taller than her, and he would have no trouble reaching this high shelf, but she knew that if he helped her, then he would pick out his mug, and she was looking for just a particular one….where was it? Her eyes scanned over the mugs left and right. It was here, she knew it. She had seen it that morning…..ah! there!

She picked out the mug she had been searching and then took out a plain deep blue mug for herself, proceeding to fill it with creamy hot chocolate while pouring water in his. Then, she made her way to the table, passing along the mug with water in his direction, unable to contain her grin at his raised questioning eyebrows.

"It's Christmas Eve." She pointed out stubbornly again just as she sat down on the chair directly across from his. "If you are going to drink plain water, at least the mug has to be festive."

He let out a single chuckle, his eyes inspecting the mug with a combination of amusement and disgust, and she could tell that he was quickly judging the taste of whoever it was had bought such a thing. She couldn't blame him. The mug was probably the ugliest in the house. It was a shaped as Christmas tree, the green a color an ugly dark shade. The ceramic ornaments in the tree-shaped mug were a little too overwhelming, and the handle was in the form of an oversized candy cane. It looked to be one of those cheap mugs one found at a tacky muggle store, and she knew that one of the twins had probably bought it simply to mock it endlessly.

She opened her mouth to repeat her question again, but the small wooden swing doors leading to the kitchen suddenly opened, her mouth closing as the tall figure of Oropher Lasgalen stepped inside. There was snow accumulated at the hem of his elegant robes, and melting on his silvery hair. So everyone else was still outside, then. Dark blue eyes swept over the two of them sitting casually at the table before they focused on his eldest son. For a split second, the elder Lasgalen's eyes landed on the mug in his son's hand, flying upwards to meet his son's gaze, the hint of a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"That's a beautiful mug you have there, my son." He commented, his eyes sparkling with the concealed teasing gleam in his faint smile. Thranduil merely shook his head, a finger lifting accusingly in her direction.

"You're drinking water." She whispered at his accusing finger, narrowing her eyes in his direction, even though his father seemed to catch her words perfectly clearly.

"On Christmas Eve?" The elder Lasgalen questioned. It was the same thing she had mentioned to Thranduil before, and yet even though her words had held an incredulous and amused tone to it, she did not miss the slight thread of worry that was concealed in the taller blond wizard. For a second she felt stunned. Was something wrong? Had she missed something? The taller powerful wizard looked as if about to ask something for a split second before he seemed to change his mind, his face once again so perfectly composed and elegant, like the powerful wizard that had once been Minister of Magic not too long ago.

"Ready to head home?" Oropher Lasgalen asked his son gently in that deep voice of his that held such silent authority she knew nobody would ever dare question him when being stern. "Your brother is falling asleep already."

"I'll stay a little longer." Thranduil's voice was that familiar serene sound as he spoke, gentle ice blue eyes looking directly at his father. "I'll walk back home later. Is that alright?"

For a fragment of a second, the older wizard seemed completely surprised, as if that had been the last thing he was expecting, but then the look was gone, replaced once again by that elegant mask of serenity, even though his dark blue eyes still carried a hint of bafflement.

"Of course." He answered, a little quicker than his usual tone, blinking a couple of times. "You may stay as long as you wish. I'll take Legolas home, then."

The tall powerful wizard turned around then, starting to head back outside the room when he suddenly stopped at the doorway, turning around to look at his son once more.

"Call Polly and have her apparate you back home." He instructed, and she watched as Thranduil made an effort not to roll his eyes in clear frustration. Polly. She remembered that name. It was their house elf. One of their house elves.

"The house is ten steps away-" He started, but the taller wizard interrupted him gently midway.

"For my sake, Thranduil, let Polly apparate you. I don't want you walking out in this snowstorm." The older wizard's voice was soft, but there was unmistakable command in them that left not space for argument.

"You're walking home with Legolas." The Slytherin seeker protested, ice blue eyes glaring furiously at his father, only making her feel incredibly uncomfortable there, in the middle of the argument.

"Call Polly, and let her apparate you." The taller wizard said firmly, marking the end of the conversation and leaving no room for further arguments or complaints. And yet, even though stern, his dark blue eyes seemed to apologize to his son, as if he did not like to have to give the firm order and yet needed to.

"Fine." Thranduil whispered sourly, the older wizard nodding his head in silence and disappearing out of the kitchen, leaving them in complete silence for a few moments. He was frustrated, she could tell, his lips pressed in a thin line.

He let out a sigh after a few minutes, his ice blue eyes turning in her direction, a faint slime present on his handsome face. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"It's Christmas." She narrowed her eyes in confusion, watching as he shook his head lightly at her.

"I know." He added in that peaceful tone of his, his eyes lowering to gaze at the clear water still swirling inside the ugly mug. "We don't do much for Christmas, so, if you're bored, or anything, you can perhaps come over?"

"I…"She didn't know what to say, although every part of her wanted to join him in whatever it was he did for Christmas.

"I'm spending Christmas with the twins, that's why I'm here….I don't know what it is we'll be doing." She explained apologetically. After all she had come to spend Christmas with the twins and their family. And yet, he merely nodded his head, his face still perfectly unreadable, so stunningly handsome.

"Alright." He suddenly said, that familiar teasing grin she knew so well suddenly appearing on his face as his ice blue eyes pierced through hers. "My turn for questions."

Here's the next chapter! Sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoy it! I know the story is taking long to pick up, but I hope you're still enjoying it anyway!

Also once again thank you so so much to all who reviewed the last chapter! It means so much to me to hear your words about this little crazy story! Eryniel Greenleaf, Rose6193, Goddessofwarriorcats, VanyaNoldo22, and nananatz.

Love,

Elena