Love's Determination

Elsie stared at the picture she held in her hand, watching the images of herself, her best mate Ginny, Fred and George, Harry, Hermione and Ron. The photograph was taken during Quidditch World Cup. Before that night had gone totally wrong, Elsie had been having a great time and had talked to Ron more than she ever had before.

The door opened quietly and Ginny tip toed into the room. She crossed the room and sunk onto the bed she shared with Elsie. Ginny snatched the photograph from Elsie.

“Look at Ron’s face in this, he looks ghastly,” Ginny teased her, rolling off the bed and onto her feet. She continued to study it, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t remember looking this dreary.”

“I do,” Elsie mumbled rolling onto her bum and dusting herself off. “Has Harry arrived yet?” she asked pulling a box of every flavor beans onto her lap and popping on into her mouth. Her face twisted. “Earwax, bloody disgusting.”

Ginny giggled. “Yeah, Harry’s just got here. He’s in the other room with Ron and Hermione. He sounded upset that no one told him about the Order.” She sat beside Elsie and retrieved an every flavor bean. “Hermione told me that I should date people, act like myself around him, not nervous and a sissy, and get on with my life.”

“Who?” Elsie asked discarding the every flavor beans. She decided she had better stop before she got one of the really bad ones.

“Harry of course. Merlin’s beard El, I shouldn’t have to tell you,” Ginny laughed, whacking Elsie on the shoulder. Elsie giggled and threw her arms around her friend. They were both flung onto the ground, laughing obnoxiously loud.

The door opened and Hermione stole into the room, unnoticed by the girls on the floor. She watched them for a moment, shaking her head at the childishness they were displaying.

“Are you two done yet?” Hermione asked leaning opening the door wide. Elsie and Ginny stopped laughing and turned their heads toured the door. They smiled at Hermione and Elsie fluttered her eyelashes. She rolled her eyes. “Such children.”

“Is there a reason you came Mione?” Elsie sat up and crossed her arms, looking up at her older sister figure. Because she was an only child and didn’t have an older sister, Hermione had taken Elsie under her wing first year and had been looking after her ever sense.

“Yes. Fred and George are getting an expendable ear and we’re going listen in to the conversation down stairs. Care to join us?”

The two tumbled over each other to get to the door. Elsie grabbed a jumper and slid it on over her shirt, following Hermione and Ginny down the hall. Hermione made a ‘be quiet’ sign and they slowed.

At the top of the stairs, the twins, Harry and Ron were standing, gathered around an object in Fred’s hand. Elsie wedge herself between Ron and George, doing her best not to faint when his arm brushed hers.

“What are they talking about?” Ginny asked. George shushed her and listened intently.

They all stepped closer to the expendable ear, listening as Sirius began talking about you-know-who. Mrs. Weasley interrupted him with a sharp tone. Elsie wished she could hear what they were saying. When she heard Snapes voice, she froze.

“Snapes in the Order?” Harry asked with a ting of anger in his voice. Ginny and I shared a knowing look. She spoke up.

“Dumbledore says he trusts him and that we all should too,” she said, meeting Harry’s green eyes. Harry held them for a little longer than was necessary before looking away.

Hermione and Elsie shared ‘the look.’

“Mione, Crookshanks is trying to eat the ear,” Elsie squealed looking down at the other end of the extendable ear.

They all looked down as Crookshanks began to paw at the ear.

“No Crookshanks, stop it, stop it boy,” Hermione hissed, but the cat refused to listen. He started nibbling on the ear, ripped it off and then trotted away with his prize.

“I hate that bloody cat, Hermione,” Ron scowled at her, pulling back from the stairs and all but Elsie pulled back as well.

Down stairs, the kitchen door was opened and Snape came swooshing of his cloak. He walked swiftly to the door and threw it open, but before he walked out, he glanced up and met Elsie’s hazel eyes. She pulled back quickly and hoped to Merlin that he hadn’t seen her. But she was pretty sure that he had.

“Why are you so scared of him?” Fred asked, watching me with curios eyes. Everyone else had disappeared, leaving them the only two people in the corridor.

Elsie gulped and shrugged. “I’m not scared of him, he just creeps me out a bit is all. Now, if you will excuse me…” She passed him, keeping her eyes down and walked back to the safety of her room.

She hadn’t realized that someone had been noticing the way she acted around Snape. But no one, not even her brother figure Fred, could know why she was, not really scared, but very hesitant around their professor.