𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 ➵ 𝐒.𝐒 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

๑ ᴄʜ. 18 ๑

The morning was peaceful at Hogwarts, snowfall is yet to start but the weather is freezing. 

"Ow"

Asha groans as she felt a letter drop on her face while she tries to wake herself up. It was a weekend and oversleeping wasn't really much of a problem. Her eyes finally pry open and the first thing she sees is Coco's  (Asha's owl) face and a letter on her face too.

"Good morning to you too, Coco"

She says, sitting up, leaning against the wall. As soon as she saw her owner sit up, Coco flew back to her cage, eating the food that Asha had poured into her bowl last night. Asha was relieved to see Coco, she thought something might've happened to her as she hasn't seen the owl for two weeks.

She figured that the letter was from her parents, specifically her mum. She began reading the letter, her face contorted into disappointment at what's written. 

____________________

Dearest Asha,

How are you doing, sweetie ? I hope 7th year at Hogwarts is treating you well. I heard your team won the first quidditch match of the year, congratulations ! Me and your father are proud of you.

I'm sorry to say that we can't spend Christmas this year for we have a family emergency back in the Philippines. Your Lolo has just reached the last stage of lung cancer, he wished that he could see you for one last time but I told him that he WILL survive. No, I'm not sure he will though. 

Now I want you not to worry about him or us, I just want you to enjoy your holidays along with Tonks, Charlie, Andrew and Kyle. It's your last Christmas as students and the best Christmas gift for me is knowing that you enjoyed it to the fullest. 

I also heard that you five have been caught sneaking out the other night and I must say, I am very disappointed. I can't believe you guys weren't careful enough, next time you have plans of sneaking out at night, just send me a letter, I know the BEST ways.

I love you <3,

Mum

____________________

She wasn't mad or sad that she wasn't able to spend time with her family this Christmas, but sad about the information about her Lolo (Grandpa). She lets out a deep sigh, her body dropping back onto a bed with a slight flop. 

"Whats with the frown"

Samantha, one of her roommates asked, just coming out of the shower. 

"My grandpa's dying"

"Oh... Well, I hope the afterlife treats him well"

Samantha says, walking out of the dorm. Asha bids her roommate a small goodbye, still thinking deeply about her grandpa's misfortune. Sometimes Asha thinks that she should've been sorted in Ravenclaw as she was wise and often buried herself in books, preferred libraries over the forest, but then again, everyone is different from one another. Maybe the sorting hat saw something in Samantha that made her a Hufflepuff.

Deciding to finally start the day at just almost noon, she jumped up from her bed and proceeded to take a much needed, cold shower. Cold showers were really hard to deal with, especially during winter. But Asha always convinced herself that cold showers equals to being more fresh for the day. After a good 10 minutes of aggressive scrubbing, she hopped out the bathroom all fresh  and freezing. It took her 15 minutes to find the warmest clothes in her wardrobe.

She walked out their common room in a fluffy beige jacket, earmuffs, a pair of white jogging pants and of course, a classic black and white, Hufflepuff scarf. It was a good Saturday for her as Snape had no need of her assisting that day. Joyfully, she ran up the staircase and into the courtyard where Tonks and the others might be. 

Walking down the hall, along with many other professors and teachers was Asha, enjoying her time by herself. Her feet led her to the courtyard and to her surprise, a sudden drop of a cold snowflake landed on the tip of her nose. A smile formed on her face as she looks up onto the sky. Snowfall has finally began. Asha stretched out her arms, slowly relaxing herself. She closed her eyes as she felt snow rain down on earth. 

"Enjoying the snow, Miss Dream ?"

"AAGH !"

Asha jumped, startled by the voice. She did not need to look up to know that it was Professor Snape... Unless it's Tonks who once again morphed herself into Snape. 

'Why is he everywhere ?!' 

Asha fixed herself, confused rather than embarrassed. 

"Tonks, stop it"

Asha laughs out, still thinking that it's Tonks just morphed into Snape. Snape however, looked at her quite concerned. 

"I assure you Miss Dream, that I am not your annoying little friend"

"Tonks isn't annoying, sir. She's a bit more bearable than you are"

Asha says politely, though fire was burning inside of her when she heard Snape address Tonks as annoying. She did not like that. If there is one person who can either tease or roast Tonks, its Asha and Asha only. It is one thing that lights the fire of anger in her when her friends are hurt, physically or mentally. It is true what they said, the only way you can ignite a fire in a Hufflepuff is to go for their friends.

"How dare you talk to me in that manner you lit-"

Snape was cut off by Asha's friends who were yelling her name as they quickly approach her.  

"It's snowing, you little cinnamon roll"

Andrew exclaims, ruffling Asha's hair. 

"Good Morning Professor"

Kyle greets the professor who still told amongst them. 

"Good morning indeed"

Snape replies in that sarcastic tone before walking back into the warmth of the castle.

He did not know why or how he felt a very unfamiliar feeling. Flustered, giddy, annoyed just mixed in a bowl. He felt it often, often when he is around Asha Dream. He may perhaps be a man confused to such feelings, he knew it is hard to resist. It might be her eyes that makes his stomach feel all flustered, or perhaps her smile, maybe her cheekiness or her voice too. He doesn't know anymore. He oh so badly, wanted it to disappear, but it can't. It won't. He has no exact word or description for this feeling but for sure, he hasn't felt it for a long time.

is he in love ?
is he in love with a girl none other than Asha Dream. Asha Dream, a girl who has chaos running through her Blood. a girl who annoyed him to his fullest, and yet he doesn't ever get tired of it.
is he ?

He sat on his desk, while he sips his cup of tea. He watches out the small window in his office. Of course there isn't much to see than the depths of the black lake. There is a bit of sunlight that reached the peaks of his window. Unlike his classroom where it is located a bit higher into the dungeon, his office was deep under, but not that deep. Just deep enough for him to see under water. It's not like he could care less anyways, he liked the dark, very much different from his student-assistant, Asha Dream. Always sitting close to the windows, loving the dearest warmth of sunlight. They are like polar opposites. One loves the dark, the other can't live without light, one wears dark and quite stylish clothes whilst the other wears bright and casual clothes, one cold and the other warm, one serious whilst the other can't handle the idea of being serious. It was unlikely for Dumbledore to pair them up.

-

"We should probably build a snow fort here and throw snowballs at unsuspecting people"

Asha's says with a radiant smile. Oh how she loved the snowfall... and the idea of snowball fights, building snowmen and making snow angels. It might as well be her first Christmas she'll spend with snow as all the Christmas's she has had in her life were spent in the Philippines, where she either sweats or sticks her head into the fridge to cool herself down.

"Ohh yeah ! Since you're spending Christmas here, I bet it will be fun"

Charlie exclaims, very much excited for Christmas of 1990.