Author's Note: Fine...I give in. I will just keep updating regardless of whether or not I get reviews. At least Kydo loves me! Also, forgive me for the typos. You know they happen to the best of us. Seems like you only catch them when it's too late to save yourself from the humiliation. Oh! And I realize there's a lack in the detail department. Perhaps that will be fixed some day. Also, I realized I forgot to put up a disclaimer!

Disclaimer: Urm...I own none of the lovelyness which is Harry Potter. I made up Elza Ocean's character and this plotline...that's it...nothing else! It's all J.K. Rowling's!

Chapter 6: All is Fair

As time passed, Elza continued meeting Professor Snape after school each day. Soon, Elza was only going to help him since she no longer needed his extra help. "Why do you still come," he asked her once. "Because I like to," she'd said. And that was enough. She kept coming, but as it neared time for the Yule Ball, there was less an less to do.

They found themselves having long conversations that covered multiple subjects. Sometimes they even just sat together and read books. Neither understood their friendship, but they were both afraid to question it or define it.

"I have nothing that needs done tomorrow, Miss Ocean, so I don't expect you to come," he said. "Okay," she said. "I'm going to go to bed now. I'll see you tomorrow, Professor." He smiled. So, she was still going to come. He felt a lightness in his heart as he went to bed.

The next morning, Elza awoke and was very impatient. Not only was it Friday, but after school today, she and Professor Snape would...would what? She wasn't sure, but she knew they'd enjoy their time together. Plus, the Yule Ball was tomorrow. She, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been excited about it for weeks now. They'd decided to go as a group. It was quite a struggle just getting through the day. She could hardly focus. She found herself wondering what she'd wear to the dance. She hadn't planned ahead since she could just transfigure something at the last minute.

Finally the school day came to an end. She went back to her dorm and put on jeans, a T-shirt, sneakers, and her hooded sweatshirt. She figured that'd be enough to keep her warm. She then bounded off to the dungeons to find Professor Snape.

He'd been waiting for her. "Let's go," he said, grabbing her hand. She was being pulled down hallways and she finally found herself outside. "What are we doing?" she asked. "We, Miss Ocean, are going to have a snowball fight!" At her shocked look he explained, "I believe I have a score to settle since the redroot scene. Last time you had the advantage of the element of surprise, but this time it is I who have the advantage." He quickly gathered a snowball and tossed it at her, which broke her out of her stunned reverie.

"No fair!" she squealed as she was pelted with another snowball. "My dear, all is fair in love and war! I suggest you start fighting back unless you want to lose this fight by a landslide," he replied smugly. He tossed another snoball, but this time she was prepared and ducked out of the way. As she ducked, she scooped up some snow and packed it and sent it flying toward the professor. "That's the spirit," he said.

Soon they were both staring down a barrage of snowballs. Elza stumbled over to Professor Snape and swiped his feet out from under him. He landed with a thud in the snow and dropped the snowball he'd planned to throw at her. She then proceeded to scoop up a pile of snow and dropped it onto his face. "That's not exactly fair, Miss Ocean," he said. "Well, Professor, I believe it was you who said that all's fair in love and war."

Elza extended her hand to help him up. As he took her hand he exlaimed, "You're hands are like ice!" He saw her shivering and wondered why he hadn't noticed her lack of proper outerwear before. He slipped out of his woolen outer robe and placed it around her whoulders. "You idiot girl! Don't you have the sense to dress properly? Let's go in and get you warm," he said. She smiled. "I'll make us some hot chocolate." Snape had never heard of it and it sounded repulsive, but for her, he was willing to try.