A Star For You

Seven

Winter holidays had officially started and most of the students, fourth year and older were staying due to the ball so Estelle and the other staff were supposed to patrol the halls to make sure no one was roaming around after curfew. Estelle was currently on her turn for nightly patrol, strolling the empty and dark corridors with thoughts going through her head very quickly. She was thinking about many different things as she silently walked alone as students were in bed and the hallways were extremely and eerily quiet. She was thinking of two people mostly, which were of course Elio and Severus. Elio because they were still not talking to one another which was the longest they had ever stopped talking. It was weird and lonely, Elio being in her life since day one. It was if she was missing a piece of her but she remained stubborn and didn't go talk to him first. 

Then there was Severus. She was curious about him and whenever they were together, she felt calm and comfortable. She never really felt this way about any else before in her entire life, usually not connecting with others beside Elio. She wasn't sure if it was because he was good at comfortable silence or if it was something more...she had no idea.

She was lost in deep thoughts so when she suddenly ran into someone she nearly screamed out loud. She tumbled back from the force and thought she was going to fall on the hard floor but she found someone grab her wrist and hold on with cold tight hands. The one holding her was Severus Snape.

She pulled herself up and he let go, her wrist instantly feeling colder than before. They stood there in silence, not sure what to say.

"Were you not supposed to be on patrol?" Severus asked, breaking the silence. Estelle blinked and looked around her surroundings. Her face went immediately pink, realizing she had been so deep in thought about everything and Severus she had unintentionally made her way to the dungeons out of habit. She awkwardly laughed out loud, "Oh, er, yes. I was—I am. On patrol." She spluttered, her facing going redder at her response. She looked like an idiot she internally groaned.

He watched her as she stammered with a lame response, rolling his eyes at her. He was about to leave before Estelle suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist. He glanced down and stared at her hand as if it was going to suddenly burst into flames or something. He didn't flinch or pull away, just stared at it with wide eyes.

She released her grip, "Wait. Want to walk with me for the last bit?" She courageously asked, her cheeks not being able to go even redder than they were so why not continue her path of utter embarrassment.

He seemed to consider this and shrugged, not finding any reason to say no. He would have gone back to his room to do nothing and not sleep anyways, due to the fact he was unable to have a good nights rest since the day he was saved from the shrinking shack, so this wouldn't be so bad as compared to that.

They turned back around to where Estelle was supposed to walk and quietly roamed the halls beside each other in relatively calm and awkward silence. Estelle kept glancing up at him, looking at his exhausted face. By the fourth time she looked up, Severus looked at her, annoyed.

"What?" He snapped, finding it incredibly annoying and irritating that she kept stealing glances at him and thinking he did not notice. 

"Oh, nothing, just you look tired?" She scrambled for a reason other than 'oh I was just looking at your face cause it's attractive.' She blushed as if she said it out loud, shocked and confused that was her real thoughts.

He clenched his jaw, turning his head and staring in front of him. "I don't sleep well, since..." he didn't finish his sentence. He was more surprised at himself for telling her the truth, it slipping out by accident. "Besides, it is night time so anyone would be tired at this time." He added, smirking slightly due to the fact that she did not realize this.