I Fear Your Name Will Haunt Me Forever

After five to ten minutes of persuading the Fat Lady that she promised not to wreak any havoc within the place of her charge she was eventually let in. Being Dumbledore's granddaughter had some advantages Ellie supposed. She walked into the cosy common room for the first time and noticed all the overstuffed chairs were formerly scarlet but had faded with age and sun damage. The room was well lived in and look ed very much like a home away from home for many students, some had even left their books lying around clearly trusting everyone within the house. A few seconds later Ellie notices Oli's form sitting on one of the sofa's located next to the fire. He kept glancing out of the window every five seconds as though he was expecting a letter of some sort, this action brought a tiny smile to Ellie's tear tracked face.

"Hello?" Ellie said softly, she didn't want to startle him nor did she think her voice would say anything at a normal level without cracking right now. Though she attempted to not startle him she failed and he stood up quickly tension running through his body. When he saw what state she was in his eyes went soft and the colour which had seemed to have hardened once again looked like melted chocolate. He moved towards her swiftly and wrapped his strong arms around her torso. It seemed that he wanted to keep her safe from the world and in those few seconds the world felt safe and happy once more. Then Ellie remembered why she had ended up there and started crying once more.

"I'm sorry I disturbed you." Ellie stated quietly. It sounded slightly muffled due to Ellie's face being pressed into Oliver's chest. Ellie was taking in the smell of Oliver, his smell reminded her somewhat of broom polish. Ellie smiled slightly at this but it vacated her face as soon as it arrived. After five minutes standing holding Ellie in his arms he led her to the sofa he had vacated before hand and made her take a seat.

Ellie sat down then fidgeted for a few moments trying to get comfortable. She decided to sit cross legged staring into the ember's of what had been once a roaring fire. Oliver cleared his throat attempting to get Ellie's attention. There was a few second delay in the reaction, however once she turned to look at him he started speaking.

"Do I have to ask the obvious question?" he grinned, he was hoping to lift the sombre mood, and Ellie just looked at him blankly having gone numb. She didn't reply and so Oliver asked the question anyway. "What happened?" the room was silent. If you closed your eyes and e attentively you would be able to hear the wind rushing around the tower outside.

"Dimitri broke up with me." Ellie said tears started running down her cheeks once again Oli looked like he wanted to wrap his arms around her and comfort her in whatever way possible. He didn't he knew if he touched her now she wouldn't open up anymore. "He is a pure blooded Bulgarian, arranged marriages are still highly common there. He is getting married on Christmas eve. He asked me to attend in the same letter he broke up with me." Ellie wasn't really angry with Dimitri she knew she was being irrational, it seemed he hadn't even fought for them. Then again what was there to fight for? Ellie wasn't heartbroken, she was just hurt that he didn't seem to care as much as she thought he did. Once Ellie had stopped talking Oliver felt it was ok to wrap his arms around her again. He didn't say anything he was just there to comfort her, he knew nothing he said would her feel better right now. All he could do was be there. A while later Ellie was half asleep in Oli's arms and very comfortable. She just wished she could change into something more comfortable. Ellie made a few indistinguishable sounds before starting to speak.

"Oli?" Ellie whispered not wanting to break the silence. It was peaceful just sitting there together. Ellie fell right in to calling Oliver by the name Oli which made him smile despite the circumstances. He grunted quietly to show her he was listening but not wanting to break the peace that had settled over the pair. "Can I please borrow a t-shirt and a pair of shorts?" when the question registered with him he looked at her curiously but he didn't say anything he just nodded his head, took hold of her hand and took her up to his dormitory.

Once they had arrived in the messy Ellie took a second to observe the room. There were five four poster beds with crimson drapes. The other four beds were occupied the curtains were shut and if she listened closely enough she could hear gentle snoring. There was the occasional noise of someone rolling over to get more comfortable. The room was well lived in there were some books and clothes strewn about without any thought about having to find them at a later date. The house-elves it seems were fighting a losing battle in this room.

"Ellie?" Oliver asked trying to get her attention. "Why do you want these?" he finally gave into his curiosity and asked the question that had been bugging him. Ellie's reply was simple and to the point.

"I am very tired, it has been a long day, and I am emotionally exhausted. I really don't want to fall asleep in what I am wearing, nor do I want to go back to my room to get something as I don't want to be alone at the moment." She said all of this in one breath. He nodded his head showing his understanding of how she was feeling. They had this short conversation as quietly as possible hoping to not wake anyone in the room. He rummaged through his drawers for a few minutes and found what she wanted.

"Here you go, there is a bathroom over there, go get changed and I will see you in a few minutes." He looked at her closely for a few moments and when he realised that she seemed to be ok he started leaving.

"Oliver" she whispered in to the stillness of the room. He stopped and looked over his shoulder at her "Thank you." Oliver nodded his head understanding that she wasn't just talking about him lending her his clothes for the night. A smile came to his face, despite the morbid reasons he and Ellie were now closer than they had been before and it was with this thought that he left the room. Once Ellie change she put her jacket back on and walked down the spiral staircase. Oli was sitting once again where he was when she had first entered the room. His feet were propped casually on the coffee table in front of him and he was rapidly scanning the pages of a book that was placed on his lap. Ellie assumed that he was looking through Moste Ponte Potions. Chelsea sat down next to him, on the sofa for two, with her arms wrapped around her legs staring into the embers of the fire once more. After a while Chelsea heard a frustrated sigh come from her right.

"Oli, what's up?" Chelsea asked him slightly confused. He frowned and it seemed he had reached the end of the book while looking for the information he needed. "Do you want some help?"Ellie asked him, although she hadn't taken part in the class that Sev had taught she could hear his smooth tones in the background while she had been working. Oli just ran a hand through his short hair before nodding his head a bewildered look on his face.

"Snape, sets the most awkward homework's. The answer is never simple nor is it located in for his students!" Ellie had a knowing gleam in her eye as Oli ranted to her. Sev was a very astute professor he knew that his students attention started to lapse in the middle to the end of the lesson especially if it was all note taking, so he would inform the class of the information that they needed during that time. If the homework was to be completed over a few weeks like this one in particular was he would give the students the information over the course of the allocated time. Which was why very few people ever got an Outstanding for his homework.

"What question did he set?" Ellie was praying that Oliver was one of those people who could take mindless notes or this was going to be a long night.

"We have to write an essay about the different ingredients and the effect that they have when used in a properly brewed Draught of Living Death." Ellie smiled remembering some of the lecture which would make helping Oliver slightly easier. Ellie explained how Sev structured his lessons and homework which made a look of dawning come over Oli's face.

"So what you are saying is that if I am a good note taker I will have all the answers needed and I just need to structure them into an essay?" Oli asked and stood up to rummage around for his notes. Ellie grabbed his wrist before he was out of her reach and summoned the notes to her. She then organised them into order starting with the newest and he started making notes from his notes onto a spare piece of parchment. Ellie meanwhile placed her head on the overstuffed arm of the small sofa trying to get comfortable. She lay with her legs on the table for a few minutes then moved to lie curled up, while moving she jolted Oli slightly but he didn't say anything hoping that she would be comfortable now. Then she rolled over twice and then moved to lay at a slight angle so she could have her legs straight. Oli by this point was very annoyed and before she could move again spoke.

"Are you comfortable yet?" from the tone in his harsh voice she could tell how he was feeling. Ellie knew she was aggravating him but no matter how she lay she just wasn't comfortable. Ellie looked at him meekly and very quietly informed him that she wasn't. He groaned but moved his things. He placed the now useless book on the arm of the sofa to lean on a took the past few weeks notes and placed them underneath the book so he could discard them once he was finished with them. While he was doing this Ellie looked at him confused. If she was him she would have sent herself to lie somewhere else so he could concentrate on his homework. His inkpot was precariously balanced on the book and he had his quill in his hand. Once he had rearranged himself so he was comfortable and happy with his layout he placed his long legs on the table and tapped his lap with his strong hand. Ellie was confused for a few moments and then realised that he wanted her to place her head in his lap which quickly complied with. She stretched her legs out and closed her eyes and felt truly comfortable which she and Oliver were happy about.

"Thank you" she whispered breaking the relaxing silence that had developed. He just nodded his head and continued working hoping to at least have a plan before he went to bed just so tomorrow he could write the essay with no breaks and complete it in one sitting which would be different to his normal approach to his potions homework, do a bit here and some there and it would still flow. It never worked and Snape had written many red notes over his haphazard work. While reading through his notes Oli found himself playing with Ellie's hair. He realised that the hair as black as a beetles back was as soft as silk. Ellie found the rhythmic stroking of her hair soothing and her eyelids started getting heavier. Before she knew it she had fallen asleep with her head on Oliver's lap. Once Oliver realised that Ellie was asleep he sat as still as possible until he had finished his essay plan and then managed to slide out from under her head without waking her.

He placed one of his hands behind her back and the other underneath her knees and carried her up to his bed. The bed was cold which made Ellie stir slightly in her sleep but otherwise she seemed unaffected from the change in location. He pulled the duvet up to cover her and she murmured his name still half asleep the cold of the bed had had slightly more effect than he thought it would.

"Yes?" Oliver replied faintly to Ellie's weak voice. Instead of replying verbally Ellie rolled over on the bed to make some room for Oli and tapped the bed next to her. "Ellie I will join you in a few minutes I have to get my notes and get ready for bed but after I have done that I will join you." Ellie seemed satisfied with that answer and just curled up slightly trying to keep warm until he joined her.