Blackeyed Girl

Here just a small chapter to get you through the weekend. The next one will follow soon.

Hmm, I guess some people can get an idea now how a certain pureblood-evil-blond-bastard will soon find his way into this story… hehe



@Daughter of a Serpent: thanks for the kind and encouraging words! You can bet a review like that makes me update just that little faster ;) Hope you keep enjoying the story!



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Chapter 12

I’m a Prince



The next day at breakfast Eleanor’s eyes slowly passed over the Slytherin table, looking for that outstanding blond hair. But she only saw him when he was leaving the Great Hall with his friends.



Eleanor followed them and called out for him in the corridor.



“Draco, wait!”



The boy stopped and turned around. His face transformed into a sneer as he saw her. His friends Crab, Goyle and Blaise imitated it.



“Draco hi. ...” she blinked at him shyly which made Draco’s friends sneer even harder, “can I speak to you alone for a second?”



Draco considered her a moment and raised an eyebrow: “Well, alright… as long as it’s only a second.” He turned to his friends and grinned at them. They wolf-whistled as Draco followed her into an alcove off the corridor.



“Well, what is it Snape. Make it snappy, I have a class to go to.”



“Just about… my name isn’t Snape, it is Prince.” She said distracted from her main issue. Draco frowned demonstratively bored.



“If that’s all I’ll be on my way then.” And he turned to leave. Eleanor reached out and grabbed the fabric of his sleeve. Draco stopped and she let go immediately, embarrassed to have touched him.



Draco only looked at her.



“I just wanted to ask you… to keep quiet about what you saw.”



Draco rose a brow smiling.



“And what exactly did I see?”



“Well you know… me under the desk… crying.” She said quietly.



“You under the desk with your knickers showing, you mean?”



“Yes.”



Draco laughed: “But it would make such a good story.”



She only glared at him. Draco’s smile faded as he realised she did not get the joke then he said, turning his eyes to his waiting friends: “Your secret… what ever it might be is save with me, little Snape. After all I don’t want to endanger my fantastic grades in Potions and DA. Besides, there might be a day it comes in handy. He raised his eyebrow again and then turned away to his friends again. Eleanor frowned and called after him: “I told you I am not a Snape! I’m a Prince!” Draco’s friends sniggered. Eleanor looked after them hugging her books to her chest. Then she heard hurried footsteps coming towards her. She looked around. It was Ginny and Luna.



“Hey, Luna told me what happened!”, said Ginny alarmed, “Are you okay? What did Snape do to you?”



“It’s okay”; said Eleanor, “I am allowed to be around Harry now.”



Ginny looked stunned: “What? How?! How did you do that?!”



Eleanor shrugged. Ginny was puzzled and then remembered Draco who was now walking down the hallway with his friends. She looked after him.



“What did you have to do with Malfoy? You didn’t chat him up, did you?”



“No. I just had to ask him something.”



Ginny frowned: “Like what?”



“Nothing… Time for Transfiguration. Are you coming?”



Eleanor led the way and Ginny followed still frowning. She tuned to Luna beside her: “She is not making much sense today, is she?”



”Hmmm”, went Luna, clearly not really thinking about Ginny’s question.



At Lunchtime Ginny, Luna and Eleanor went to lunch in the Great Hall. Just when they had sat down Eleanor spotted Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville sitting together. She turned back to look at her friends. Ginny looked over and saw Harry as well. She turned to the Teacher’s table. Snape had just walked into the hall.



“Lets go over to Harry and the others now that you can.”



Eleanor looked uncertain. Ginny gave her a push on the shoulder: “Come on, he allowed it, didn’t he?”



“Yeah…if I don’t overdo it.”



“Let’s go over there, come on.” Ginny got up and pulled Eleanor with her. Luna followed. Eleanor caught sight of Snape as Ginny pulled her towards Harry and the others. Snape caught her eye and then looked over to where Ginny was pulling her, then back to her. His face unreadable, but then he looked away and started a conversation with McGonagle.



Eleanor smiled and now followed Ginny willingly.



“Hey!” called Hermione when she saw them. Harry looked up and on seeing them coming nearer he looked alarmed in Snape’s direction.



“It’s okay, Harry. She is allowed to hang out with all of us now.”



“How did that happen?” he asked in disbelieve.



Eleanor shrugged uncomfortably: “I begged him.”



“And he just said okay?”



“Yeah…” Eleanor answered as though it had been exactly that simple. Harry looked sceptical.



“Sit down!” said Hermione and patted the seat next to her, “we were just talking about Christmas break. What are your plans, Ellie. Have you spoken to Professor Snape yet?”



Eleanor blinked. Christmas Break? –She had not even considered it. What was going to happen? Was she going to stay with Snape at Hogwarts when everyone else was at home with their families?



“No. What are you all going to do?”



“Harry is having Christmas with Ron and Ginny. Neville and I go home for Christmas. What are you doing Luna?” asked Hermione when she saw that Eleanor was unsure.



“Dad and I go Snowbee watching in Switzerland.”



“Snowbees?” asked Neville unsure.



“Aha!” exclaimed Luna, having found someone who was interested to know more and she sat next to him, starting to explain about the bees that change their colours in winter and look just like snowflakes to the muggle eye. Neville looked sorry he had asked as the rest of the group turned to Eleanor again.



“What would you like to do? Perhaps Professor Snape has not got any plans yet. You could suggest something.”



Ron snorted at the idea.



“Well I don’t know…”, Eleanor started unsure, “ I just… I don’t want to stay here… when everyone else is gone.”



It was quiet a moment then Ginny said: “Not everyone leaves over the holidays you know. There will be a few students who always stay.”



“But still…” Eleanor seemed sad. She could not imagine the Professor taking her somewhere like on a trip like Luna’s father. She already saw herself walking Hogwarts corridors alone on Christmas Eve.



Ironically at this exact same time, a few meter behind them Snape turned away from McGonagle to find Dumbledore next to him.



“Headmaster.”



“Severus. I wanted a quick world.”



Snape looked slightly sceptical. Dumbledore noticed and put his hand on his shoulder



“Just a quick question…. out of curiosity.”



“Well”, prompted Snape.



“I am sure you realise that Christmas is near”, Dumbledore continued in a jolly voice.



Snape frowned: “Yes….and?”



“Well, I was just suddenly wondering if you have thought about it.”



“I don’t give much thought to Christmas generally. I don’t know why I should this year.”



“Severus! Your ward! Don’t you think the holidays would be a wonderful opportunity for the two of you to bond and to get away from here… and have a good time?” Snape didn’t reply, “She will expect something, Severus.”



“I was planning to spend the holidays at Spinner’s End this year. There is too much business going on with Lucius and the others… it is saver and more practical that way. As far as Eleanor is concerned I admit I have not thought about it yet. But now that you mention it… this is a problem. Do you think she can stay here, Albus?”



“Oh absolutely not, Severus.”



“But…”



“Christmas is important for a young girl. And the two of you need some more time alone together away from here. You are not leaving her behind here on her own. You can not do that.”



“Seriously, Albus. What do you expect me to do, take her to the Deatheather meetings with me?”



“Take her to Spinner’s End. Give her a sense of family. Let her discover things about you as a person. Get to know her better. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year together and if you have to go to a meeting, I am sure you can leave her alone for an evening.” Snape opened his mouth to argue, “Severus, do this for me, please.” He looked at him intently and turned away.



Snape didn’t know that to say or to think. He felt as though Dumbledore was only doing this because he wanted to see him struggle but he knew of course that that was not the case. He turned around to look at Eleanor who was still sitting with her friends. He was glad to see that at this moment she had her eyes turned away from Potter as Luna was telling them something.

He sighed. He had to admit to himself that in truth I wanted her with him, so he could make sure she did not do anything she wasn’t supposed to but taking her home with him? He was not sure how that would work out. And after their last disaster he was slightly unsettled about something like it happening again. But had he really thought he could get around closer contact with her when he took responsibility for her? No. He knew this was something he had to get through. He sighed again and left the Great Hall.