* This story was written as part of the Lovers of the Potion's Master one shot/poetry challenge. The inspiration was drawn from the beautiful painting of Severus with the mysterious woman in the red dress. Enjoy!

The Most Loyal Hufflepuff

"Eleanor!" snapped a shrill voice from the entryway to her cubical. "Are you even listening to me? Where has your brain gone? Your pretty little head has been in the clouds all week."

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Windgate," mumbled Ella as she shoved her precious letter into her desk drawer, jamming her pinky finger in the process.

"Eleanor, the biggest event of your little career is tonight so you better shape up, honey," drowned Margaret Windgate, Head of Wizards Relations at the Ministry of Magic, and Ella's ostentatious boss. If she paid more attention to her employees than what new bedazzled dog collar she was going to buy her ridiculous poodle, Fluffernutters, then she might have realized that Ella had the whole event planned, organized and finalized months ago. In fact, whatever task Ella was given was organized perfectly.

Ella Northington, Liaison to Wizarding Events, was quite possibly the most organized witch to ever grace the halls of the Ministry of Magic. She was not overly intelligent or powerful, she had no special hidden talents, she was very much ordinary, but she could visualize a plan of action and bring it flawlessly into fruition. She was the one that was called if a banquet needed to be organized, a ceremony needed to be arranged or a formal ball designed. To her, it was an art form. She loved seeing an idea or a need that merely started out as a dream, turn into something people would never forget.

In just a few hours, the largest organized event the wizarding world had seen in years would be happening and its success rested on her shoulders. The Celebration Ball was put in place by the newly elected members of the Wizengamot to honor the one-year anniversary of the Battle at Hogwarts. Anyone who is anyone would be there, champagne would be flowing, gourmet food would be eaten and awards would be presented to those who fought bravely for the cause. Most people were running around buzzing about how excited they were to catch a glimpse of the Golden Trio, or to see who would be given specialized awards, but most people were just excited to have a reason to celebrate instead of mourn. Ella had been organizing the event for eight months and to say that it had consumed her life would be an understatement.

Although she would never admit it out loud, Mrs. Windgate did have a point. She had been extremely distracted lately and with good cause. After tipping back her chair to peer out into the hallway in order to ensure that her busybody of a boss was tucked safely into her office, she once again pulled out her beloved letter from desk drawer. This was the reason she had been distracted and this was the reason why she couldn't wait for the Celebration Ball to happen.

After carefully unfolding the letter for probably the tenth time today, she gently ran her fingers across the slanted, almost old fashion looking handwriting. This was not the first letter she had received, but it was the most important because this very letter stated what she had dreamed about for months. He was coming.

Ella had been in the same year at Hogwarts as Severus Snape. They were not sorted into the same House, nor did they hang around the same circle of friends, but Ella had spent a good majority of her adolescent life completely mesmerized by the dark haired wizard. There had been nothing special about her, in fact she was what many would call "a late bloomer." She suffered through years of teasing due to her rather flat chest and tomboyish mannerisms.

Most Ravenclaws felt she was never smart enough; Slytherins hardly gave her the time of the day due to her lack of outward beauty and the Gryffindors only found her useful if they wanted someone to tease. Her home had been in the safe and accepting arms of the most loyal of houses, Hufflepuff. There she had a small, but tight knit group of friends and was able to have a safe place away from the relentless teasing.

The first time she noticed Severus Snape had been during her fifth year Potions class. Most of her classes had been shared with Ravenclaw so she had very little interaction with Slytherin students. Ella sat at a table just behind Severus and became immediately enamored by this intellectual brilliance. He was always the first to finish a project and would complete his assignments with exact precision. When he mixed a potion, he made it look like an art form. He gave it his very heart and soul and it didn't take very long before Ella did the same to him.

Being the shy and intimidated little Hufflepuff that she was, she never could work up the courage to talk to him. She would merely do her best to complete her potion to the best of her ability in hopes that he would take notice of her. Ella worked especially hard that year, staying up late every night, signing up for extra tutoring sessions, all in the hopes of making a high enough score on her O.W.L.s so she would be able to continue on in Potions on the N.E.W.T level. The day she found out that she made an acceptable score to continue had been one of the most satisfying days of her Hogwarts experience.

The first day of Potions class her sixth year gave her the opportunity she had been waiting for. The class was unusually small, only a hand full of students were able to make it into Advanced Potions. The small class was paired off and to Ella's delight she was made partners with none other than Severus himself. She could still remember vividly the first time she spoke to him. After having an internal freak out moment, she calmly walked to their table, took a deep breath and promptly passed out onto the floor. A few minutes later a voice brought her back to the land of the living.

"Ella…Ella…are you okay?" said a smooth, silky voice.

Once she blinked open her eyes, she was greeted with the loveliest of sights. Severus was kneeling down above her and had propped her head onto his knees. He was gently caressing her cheek with a cool rag and gripping tightly to her wrist, checking her pulse.

That had been the first time she had noticed just how spectacular his eyes were. At first glance they seemed black as coal but as she gazed into their murky depths she could make out tiny flecks of dark blue, the same color as the Black Lake on a warm spring day.

"You gave me quite a fright. I guess the fumes got to you. I was just trying to get a head start on our project. I didn't mean to do this to you," he continued, his eyes wide with concern. "I'm Severus by the way," he said as he gently pulled her off of the floor. "And you are Ella Northington."

"You know my name?" she asked, trying to control the butterflies in her tummy and push back the look of pure shock off her face.

"Oh…ummm…well it is embroidered on your satchel," he said as he bent down to pick up her fallen bag, which had spilt all its contents onto the floor.

"Oh yes…of course…silly me," she mumbled, blushing at her foolishness.

Their little introduction was cut short when two Gryffindors, James Potter and Sirius Black, took their seats behind them. Both Severus and Ella visibly tensed when they heard their snickers being directed their way.

"Well looky here Prongs. Looks like Snivillus has a little girlfriend," chuckled Sirius.

"I guess I need new glasses mate, because I don't believe my eyes. Looks like Ella, Ella, Can't Find a Fella has finally found true love in the arms of this greasy git," crooned James, making ridiculous exaggerated motions around his dorky glasses. "I didn't think snakes had a thing for badgers, but then again, this one will probably just take whatever she can get."

Ella attempted to shrink into her seat; completely humiliated that Severus had heard her embarrassing nickname. She glanced over to her lab partner only to find him sitting stone faced with his hands folded neatly in his lab. Only the slight tremble of his fingers showed that he was experiencing any range of emotion.

"Back off, Potter," he murmured, barely containing enough volume to reach the perpetrators' ears.

"Oh, so the slimy snake thinks he can tell us what to do?" laughed James, drumming his wand on his desk in amusement.

"What are you going to do, Snivillus? Hiss us to death, you slimy little serpent," interjected Sirius. "Worthless, cowering Slytherin."

"Ella, go and stand over by the window," Severus whispered.

"Wh…why, Severus?" she stammered, fighting to hold in her tears.

"Please, just do it…quickly," he continued to plead as quietly as possible.

Ella nodded and with slumped shoulders slowly shuffled over to the only small ventilation window in the class, that was a good ten feet away from their seats.

"Oh look. Poor Ella as boring as vanilla, decided to run away. What, you can't take the scent of his greasy hair?" said James, giving a high five to his counterpart.

With the speed and agility of a wizard twice his age, Severus sprung to his feet and brandished his wand. But instead of pointing it at the two Gryffindors, he directed his attention to the empty space below their desk.

"Serpensortia!" he yelled.

Suddenly a large, black king cobra appeared from the end of his wand, landing just beside James Potter's sneaker clad feet. The snake immediately reared back with a hiss, preparing to strike. Sirius gave a girlish sounding shriek and all but climbed on top of James, who was fighting to break for the door. They collided on top of one another, falling to the floor before they were actually able to make their escape.

"You are crazy, man," one of them yelled as they continued down the hallway and out of earshot.

That had been the start of their friendship. Severus was given two weeks detention with Hagrid the Grounds Keeper and was made to clean out all of the animal pens by hand. Ella had insisted that she go with him since he had only been defending her. Severus made it clear he thought she was crazy, but Ella quickly found that he secretly welcomed the company.

Ella and Severus were moved to the far side of the classroom to insure that there were no more run-ins with James and Sirius. This gave them plenty of space to develop first a wonderful partnership, then a friendship. They quickly became the top of their class, giving Ella her first experience at being the best at something. Severus was patient, encouraging and the only boy that seemed to notice that she existed. It wasn't anytime at all before Ella's little crush for her potions partner grew into something much deeper.

It became the best year of Ella's Hogwarts experience. All of her grades improved and her self esteem blossomed along with the girlish figure she finally started to develop. But even though her school experience seemed to be improving, Severus' began to take a turn for the worst.

Ella did her best to ignore the fact that repeated during their Potion's lesson Severus would steal glances over to Lily Potter's table. Lily was by far the most popular girl in their year and boys from all four houses seemed to be enamored by her. Being pretty low on the social ladder, Ella had never worked up enough courage to speak to her, nor had Lily ever paid attention to Ella. It was blaringly obvious that Severus was charmed by Lily's grace and beauty and that fact broke Ella's heart on a daily basis.

She noticed throughout the year that Severus would attempt many times to converse with the Gryffindor beauty but his attempts always ended in disaster. Severus' fighting with James Potter and his gang seemed to get worse as well. By the time their final year at Hogwarts began Severus almost seemed to be a completely different person, eaten up with jealousy, hurt and anger.

It was early that fall that Lily and James made it known that they were a couple. Severus did little to hide his rage every time the two Gryffindors walked into the classroom. Ella did her best to keep him on task and to be as friendly as possible but Severus seemed to have lost all interest in everything, including his little Hufflepuff friend. Their friendship cooled into a mere partnership. He rarely spoke to her outside of the classroom, he did his best to finish up all projects as quickly as possible so he could spend the rest of the class glaring at Potter or scribbling in his textbook.

Ella also noticed that his temperament began to match those of some of the other less savory members of the Slytherin House. Where as he used to be soft spoken and shy, he slowly began to be short tempered, brooding and dark. He was constantly flipping through books on the Dark Arts and when Ella would question him he would snap at her to mind her own business.

Their graduation day was the last time Ella was able to speak to him.

"Severus! Wait up!" she yelled, following the trail of black robes before it could disappear out the great oak doors at the front of the castle.

"Ella…what are you doing?" stammered Severus, shifting his eyes off to the side as if he was expecting someone else.

"I wanted to say goodbye, silly, and to thank you for being my partner in Potions," she said, her eyes sparkling as she smiled up at him.

"Ella, we were put together. Besides, you always did a good job on your own. No need to thank me," he said, still shifting in his step uneasily.

"Oh…well…I know that but…I guess I just want to say that…I'm going to miss you," she finally stammered out.

"Oh, well thank you, Ella," he said softly, a ghost of a smile curling on his lips.

Ella briefly wondered if anyone had ever told him such a thing.

"I suppose I'm going to…"

"Severus, are you quite finished," came the syrupy voice of an impeccably dressed blonde wizard from the doorway.

"Ummm yes, I'm coming Lucius," replied Severus, giving a small nod to Ella before turning quickly on his heels to follow his friend out the entranceway.

"Take care of yourself, Severus. I got an apprenticeship at the Ministry, so if you ever need me just look me up," she yelled after him.

He didn't even look back.

"I love you," she mumbled to herself, alone and unheard.

For years after that Ella did her best to move on from him. After her apprenticeship at the Ministry she successfully secured a position in the Wizard's Relations Department. She threw herself into her job, hoping that the memory of the raven-haired wizard would eventually fad from her mind. Unfortunately it seemed that every time she felt that her heart had finally closed to him she would run across an article about him in the news, spy him from across the way at an event at Hogwarts or stumble pass by a student discussing him in Diagon Alley. Try as she might to move on year after year, she was stuck.

As the only child of a pure blood family, she was expected to carry on the family bloodline. Her parents would constantly set her up on dates with obnoxiously arrogant pure blood wizards. None could match Severus in wit or intelligence making it easy for Ella to lose interest in them after the first few dates. Her dating life finally came to a halt when both her parents passed away during a tragic apparition accident just after her thirtieth birthday. She vowed then and there to give all her focus to her job.

During the second war with Lord Voldemort, Ella began paying closer attention to Severus, always from afar. However she felt compelled to be his champion when no one else would be. She could offer very little but what she was to Severus was loyal. When others around the Ministry would question his motives due to his former ties with the Death Eaters, Ella would always stand up for him against the popular majority.

Her first major test came just days after the murder of Albus Dumbledore.

"You went to school with him didn't you, Eleanor?" questioned Mrs. Windgate, pursing her lips in disgust as her heavily painted eyes skimmed across the Daily Prophet.

"Who is that, Mrs. Windgate?" Ella replied, not looking up from the list she was composing.

"Why Severus Snape of course! Nobody can talk about anything but the brut since he killed poor Albus Dumbledore. I'm pretty certain he is your age, although I have to admit he looks quite a bit older than you, but than again you always were such a gangly little thing. So did you know him? Give me all the dirty details."

Ella shifted uncomfortable in her seat, wishing she could apparate back to her tiny little hole of an apartment and hide. She had been so upset to the point of being physically ill since she heard about Severus. His name had been slung through the mud by everyone in her office and she had sat by quietly attempting to endure it. She was completely sick of it.

"Severus was…is…one of the most intelligent, bravest, most passionate wizards I have ever met. I would not have made it through school without him, Mrs. Windgate," she said proudly, sitting up a little straighter in her chair to show her confidence.

"How can you say such things, Eleanor, after all he's done?" she spat, obviously disgusted.

"It's true, Mrs. Windgate, and I will take my words to my grave. There is more to Severus then what we see. He loved the Headmaster and would never do harm to anyone unless he was protecting another in need. I believe that there is more to this story. Perhaps Harry Potter was mistaken? Or maybe it was all just a big show?"

"Eleanor, you hold your tongue. I will not have my employees say such things. Just because you had a little schoolgirl crush on the man does not mean that he is a saint. He is a murderer, child. Get it through that pretty little head of yours and you will be better off for it. Perhaps it is best that we all keep our mouths shut about such topics. Things are taking a turn for the worst and we need to stick together," she said nervously, shifting her eyes around the office.

"Yes, Ma'am. But I promise I'm right. You'll see."

Ella had been ecstatic when the news was released after the final battle at Hogwarts that Severus had narrowly survived the final battle and had indeed only been acting on Dumbledore's orders. She knew that he would never do something as evil as killing the very man he idealized and she hoped that he could finally have the peace and quiet he deserved. That idea sadly did not seem like it would come to light.

The short term Headmaster was brought in for questioning by the Wizengamot under charges of murder and involvement with the Death Eater organization. Despite what Harry Potter had proclaimed to learn in the pensieve, many were not so forgiving. After hours of begging and bribing one of the courtroom security guards, who was also a fellow Hufflepuff, Ella was finally able to secure a seat on the back row to watch the proceedings.

"State your full name," chimed the booming voice of the newly instated Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Severus Tobias Snape," came the same silky voice that used to make her heart rate race as a teenage girl.

Ella's seat was behind the holding chair so all she could see was the top of his inky locks, but she could clearly hear his strong, rich masculine voice. Goose bumps immediately began sprinkling their way up her back and down her arms. She couldn't believe that after all these years, his voice still had the same impact.

The court proceedings lasted for what seemed like hours. Various offenses were listed, including the murder of Albus Dumbledore.

"And how do you plead, Professor Snape?" asked the Minister of Magic.

"Guilty," replied Severus, in a calm and simple tone.

"But only under Professor Dumbledore's orders! Just ask his portrait. I heard the whole conversation in the pensieve," yelled out a scraggly-haired young man from the front row of the courtroom bleachers.

"Harry…Mr. Potter, please be patient and wait until it is your turn to testify," he said gently.

"No, this is ridiculous. You are treating him like some common criminal. Everything he did was under the Headmasters orders and it was all to protect us. I'm not going to sit by and watch him be mistreated," Harry continued.

"Harry, there is a list of offenses here a Quidditch pitch long. They date back all the way to his final year as a student at Hogwarts."

"But he was cleared of those crimes years ago. That's not fair!" yelled Harry.

"I am aware of that, but all things must be taken into account. A lot of people have lost their lives these past twenty years. I cannot only take your word from what you saw in a pensieve, Harry. Unless we can find enough people to testify on his behalf it…"

Ella wasn't sure what came over her but before she could think about her actions, she was on her feet.

"Severus Snape is a good man. He fought longer and harder than anyone else here today. No wizard or witch in this room is perfect. We have all made mistakes just like Severus Snape, but none of us were put into the position that he was. None of us had to face He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on a daily basis, all in the name of protecting those around him," she yelled, her voice sounding stronger than it normally did. "There are plenty of us who will speak on his behalf. I think it is now all of our jobs to ensure that he is protected. If you sentence this man before you today, Minister, you will be condemning one of the greatest heroes our world has ever seen. I implore you all to see reason."

The courtroom remained silent and still. One could have heard a quill drop over the stunned silence. Ella could see Severus struggle in vain to pull from the restraints in order to see who was speaking for him. As embarrassing reality of her outburst began to hit her, she thanked Merlin that he was not able to see her.

"Oh crap, what have I done?" she thought, suddenly flushing red.

Ella was just about to make a run for the door when she saw movement over in the far corner of her room. Harry Potter had slowly risen to his feet and nodded humbly up towards her. A second later a tall, slender, ginger headed man, that Ella recognized in passing as Arthur Weasley, silently stood beside him. "I will speak for him," he said softly.

"I will speak for him," came the voice of an elderly lady a few rows down from Ella.

"I will speak for him," chimed in another voice of a young man sitting behind Mr. Weasley.

"I will."

"I will."

"I will."

The voices continued for what felt like ages, until almost the entire room was on their feet, all chiming in their support for the silent man before them. Minister Shacklebolt turned his head and opened his mouth to question the newly instated members of the Wizengamot, but promptly closed it when he realized they were all standing, staring down at him.

"Well, I suppose this makes the vote unanimous among…well…everyone. Severus Snape, I hereby declare that all charges have been dropped. You are a free man," he said quickly, waving his wand towards the shackles that were restraining him.

Ella did her best to stand on her tiptoes in order to get a look at the newly freed professor, but was only able to catch a quick glimpse of his impassive features before she was swept out of the courthouse with the rest of the moving pack.

She had thought that after hearing that Severus was free to move on and live the life he wanted, that she would be able to the same. After months of trying to push him from her thoughts, she finally gave up. She wanted to see him desperately, if only to speak to him one last time. Once she was given the task of planning the Celebration Ball she was finally able to figure out a reason for contacting him.

Ella had been receiving a large amount of pressure from everyone in the Ministry to ensure that all key players of the war would be in attendance for the event. She had easily contacted Harry Potter who promptly confirmed that he and his friends would be there. All faculty members from Hogwarts were also enthusiastic about the event. After spending an entire week revising and rewriting letter after letter, she finally sent off her first correspondence to Severus.

Professor Severus Snape,

Let me first start by saying that you have my heart felt gratitude for what you have done for our people. Words cannot express the amount of thanks that you deserve. I know that it probably does not mean a lot coming from me, but I want you to know that you are revered in my eyes and always have been.

Sincerely,

Eleanor

The letter had been short, revealing nothing about herself or her intentions to see him again. She wasn't quite ready for rejection or to learn that he didn't remember her from school. She knew he would not recognize her formal name so she decided it was best to stick with it for the time being. She waited almost a full week before a large brown barn owl finally delivered a response.

Eleanor,

There is no need to refer to me as professor any longer since I have taken up a new occupation. Your words compliment me far more than I deserve. I can assure you that flattery is not needed, but nevertheless, I thank you for your sentiments.

Sincerely,

Severus Snape

Ella had been encouraged by his response. He didn't seem to mind her letter so she decided to continue their correspondence in hopes that she would gain enough courage to ask him to come to the ball. Over the next few weeks, the letters continued. They were never very long, nor deeply personal, but they were always very lighthearted, as if they were speaking to a friend over coffee. Ella would inquire about his new private potion making business he was starting up and he would ask about the comings and goings at the Ministry. He never asked her to give her full name and she never pushed him to speak of things that might make him uncomfortable. It didn't take long before the same wit she fell in love with so many years before finally started to come out in his letters. They would joke about trivial matters that they read in the news, discuss the change of weather and even complain about the noisy neighbors they each lived around. It was just as easy to talk to him as an adult as it had been when they were young.

After several months of writing multiple times each week, Ella finally bucked up enough nerve to ask him to come to the ball. She promised that he wouldn't have to make any speeches or even go up on stage to receive the Order of Merlin, First Class. After weeks of playful banter and gentle persuasion, a letter finally arrived, stating that he would attend.

"Eleanor, if it's not finished now, just let it go. You need to go ahead and leave so you can fix yourself up for tonight," said Mrs. Windgate, startling Ella as she reread her letter one last time.

She reluctantly folded the piece of parchment and gently placed it inside a journal she kept in her desk. "I'm leaving right now. I will see you at six, Mrs. Windgate."

"Do you have an outfit planned out for tonight?" the old woman inquired.

"Oh…ummm…yes I had one of my mother's black velvet gowns altered for me. I think it will look quite nice," she said as she gathered up her purse and a bag containing all the awards that would be presented that evening.

"Black! At your age? My dear you are much to young and thin to be hiding behind such heavy fabric and so dark a color. Don't you have anything else?"

Ella frowned back at the pudgy woman. Of course she had other dresses but she had worn them all countless times to events and wanted to wear something new and flattering for this evening.

"Well…I…guess I could…"

"Oh nevermind, dear. I have just the dress for you," she said cheerfully. "Oh it's not mine, dear. I dare say I have a few more…curves than you do," she chuckled after noticing the puzzled looking on her employee's face. "I bought it for my daughter last year, but it's really not her color. I think it will be just perfect for the occasion. You will look ravishing in red."

"Oh, well…I guess…but really, Mrs. Windgate, I can't except such…"

"Hush, child. I'm an old woman that doesn't have many thrills left in this life. Let me have this. Now about your hair…and make-up…oh sweet Merlin, we have our work cut out for us, don't we? I will be at your apartment in an hour. We have a lot of work to do."

And with that, Margaret Windgate waddled out of the office, mumbling to herself what spells she would need to perform on her own Cinderella. After taking a few moments to process what had just happened, Ella finally started making her way down the hallway to the Ministry exit. Mrs. Windgate had never expressed any interest in her before. "What the hell was that?" she thought. "Oh well. She can't hurt my appearance…I think." Ella couldn't get upset. All that mattered was that in a few short hours, she would finally get to see Severus. Nothing was going to dampen her spirits now.

Severus paced nervously from one side of his cottage to the next. His eyebrows furrowed heavily as he turned his attention to the contents of his most recent letter from the mysterious Eleanor. After letting out an audible sigh, he stomped his heavy boots down the hallway and into his bedroom in search of the only mirror in the house. With great reluctance, he took in his haggard appearance.

"What are you thinking, old man, going to a ball? And for some woman you have never met. You should just stay at home like you do every evening," he thought to himself, as he scrutinized every gray hair and frown line that had made its premature appearance in the past few years. "You look old, Severus, and battered."

If truth be told, he should look a lot worse. The scar on his neck where the snakebite had nearly killed him was almost healed thanks to his own inventive concoction, but he still sneered at his reflection nonetheless.

Severus had lived in his new little cottage for almost six months. It was located in a small wizard community just outside of Brighton. It was small, neat and perfect for his needs. Since he now worked from home, he could spend his days in quiet solitude, spending hours listening to nothing but the soft simmering of his cauldrons. He thought that this would be enough for him, but after only weeks of isolation, he had begun to feel lonely and once again cut off from the world. Once he began receiving letters from his mystery woman, he finally had something to look forward to on an almost daily basis. He'd enjoyed their light conversations and easy banter, but it had taken him by surprise when she said she actually wanted to meet in person.

"I still can't believe I said yes," he mumbled to himself as he flung open his wardrobe. "Probably some kind of sick joke by one of my former dunderheads."

As much as he tried to dismiss the thought of possible disappointment, the truth was, he had wanted to meet the woman in person as well.

"Not like anything will come from this. She will take one look at me and promptly run away to the nearest Gilderoy Lockhart wannabe. No, I will just stay home like I always do and that's final."

But just as he made to return to his basement lab, his eyes caught sight of one of the letters that Eleanor had sent him. It was the first one he had received from her. It still carried the faint scent of roses, like all of her letters did. He kept it on his nightstand like a prized treasure. His resolve quickly melted and once again, he flung open his wardrobe.

"Fine," he murmured. "But only for a few minutes. Then I'm out of there."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, hold still, Eleanor. You have messed up the back of your hair already from all this running around you've been doing," fussed Margaret Windgate.

Margaret had spent hours fixing up her young protégé and was quite pleased with her results. She had been spending the better half of the evening following Ella around smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress; touching up her dark eyeliner and fussing about her magically curled tresses. Ella looked perfect and Margaret could hardly wait to see her little love story unfold.

"I am in CHARGE of the event! What do you expect?" snapped Ella uncharacteristically.

"Well, aren't we getting a little feisty this evening," she said with a hearty laugh. "Good dear, he will like that," she thought to herself with an approving nod.

Margaret had known about the on-going letters between Ella and the former Death Eater for months now. She made it a habit to sneak a peek into Ella's journal she kept "hidden" in her desk for years. She had been ecstatic when she started finding little letters from the notorious Severus Snape hidden in the back of the journal. She knew they were planning on having a little rendezvous this evening and she couldn't resist a little meddling. You would never get Margaret Windgate to admit it, but she had always been rather fond of Ella and honestly did want to see the young witch happily paired off, even if it was with a cantankerous Potions Master.

"There, I fixed your hair. Stand back so I can see you," she said in an almost motherly fashion. "Stunning."

Without Ella knowing it, Margaret had gone out and bought a very special gown just for her. She knew the young woman would never be able to afford such a gown and now looking at how radiant she looked in it made all the money worth it. The dress was long, flowing and elegant. It gave Ella a look for regality that the normally mousy girl lacked. The thin, silken fabric highlighted her feminine curves, which had already attracted the attention of several eligible wizards and the low neckline showed just enough to expose her flawless skin.

"Severus, you better get here soon, boy, or she will be taken by some young Ministry official," she thought to herself, once again scanning the room for the dark wizard.

The ball was already almost halfway over and there was still no sign of him. Margaret was just about to make her way over to the buffet table (for the sixth time that evening) when she spotted what appeared to be a dark shadow lurking in the corner of the ballroom. Her gaze followed the figure until it finally passed in front of a long row of lit sconces. She was then able to make out the tall, slender figure of the man she knew Ella had been waiting for. But something was wrong. He couldn't have been at the ball long but he looked terribly uncomfortable and downright miserable. After glancing around the room a few times, he quickly turned on his heels and fled to the front door of the large manor they had rented for the event.

"Oh no you don't, mister," she thought to herself. "Eleanor, be a dear and check with the Minister to see if he needs anything else to eat. I have some business to attend to," she mumbled, dismissing the woman with a little wave of her hand.

"Fine," Ella snapped, now in a downright terrible mood. "First, I get stood up, and now I am slave labor. Just perfect," she thought to herself.

For a witch nearing her seventies, Margaret moved with surprising speed and agility. It took her no time at all before caught up to the long legged man, just before he stepped out of the front door.

"And just where do you think you are going, Professor Snape?" she snapped, flicking her wand to slam the door in front of him.

"Excuse me," he hissed, raising one eyebrow in defense. "Do I know you?"

"Oh my, but he does have a sexy voice," she thought, giving the appearance of being more flushed than her makeup normally provided. "No, I do not believe we have ever met, but you do know my colleague and you are supposed to be meeting her here tonight. Is there a reason you are leaving before doing so?"

"You know Eleanor?" he asked quietly, doing his best to show no emotion on his stoic face.

"Of course I do. Known her since she was a little girl. She has worked in my department since she graduated from Hogwarts. Such is a lovely thing and I will not have you disappoint her. If you made a promise then you better stick to it, young man," she spat, inching a little bit closer in an attempt to intimidate the now scowling man.

"Madame, I am hardly a young man and I am afraid that coming here tonight was a mistake. It is best that I just leave," he growled, matching the stumpy woman in her glaring match.

"Why? Do you have something better to do with your evening? You're a Slytherin aren't you? That is such a typical Slytherin thing to do. Just give up on the girl before you even meet her. Especially after all she has done for you. How pathetic," she said as she turned her back on him in preparation to dramatically storm off.

"What do you mean, all she has done for me? We've never even met before."

"That's what you think. Perhaps you have not been as alone as you think you have. Eleanor has been your champion for years. She stood up for you when everyone else was against you. There is no telling the amount of ridicule she has endured over the years just in order to defend your name. Did you even know that she was the one that spoke on your behalf in the courtroom? Of course not. You never took the time to figure out who it was. If you leave here tonight without speaking to her, it will break her heart and she deserves so much more than that."

"I…I was not aware…but why? Why would she do all of that for someone she doesn't even know?" he asked, clearly confused.

"That is a question that you will have to ask her. Only she can answer it, Professor."

"But I can't stay here. I don't want to ruin her evening by…"

"You don't have to. There is a small unused parlor upstairs to your right. You can wait for her there and I will send her up. Just give her five minutes and then you can leave. At least give her that," she said, giving him his first glimpse of a smile.

"Fine, but no funny business, witch. I am not a man you want to trifle with. I will wait ten minutes, no longer," he grumbled before quickly heading to the direction of the large stairway.

"Oh, Eleanor! Be a dear and do me another favor," chimed Mrs. Windgate in an even more obnoxiously cheery voice than she normally used.

"Yes, Mrs. Windgate," Ella droned.

"There is a box of extra napkins in that empty parlor upstairs. The buffet is looking a little low. Could you run upstairs and bring them down?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

"I didn't put them there. Who did that? Ugh, when are people going to finally start listening to me?" she mumbled as she begrudgingly stomped off to the stairs, effectively catching the hem of her dress on one of her ridiculously high heels.

Ella was heartbroken. The night had gone perfectly in regards to all the speeches and awards, but the one event she had been so looking forward to had not happened. Severus had stood her up and she was once again left pining for the man she would never be with. "How stupid can I be?" she thought as she flung open the door to the mansion's parlor. As soon as she stepped into the room, she froze. Standing straight and tall, staring out into the night through the opulent arched, stained-glass windows was the very man she wanted to see.

She opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly seemed to lose all powers of speech. Instead, she stood frozen in place, drinking in the powerful sight of him. Upon hearing the subtle swish of her dress, Severus slowly turned around and looked eyes with her. Finally, she was able to get her first up close glimpse of the man since they were mere teenagers. He was even taller than she remembered, his hair was the same silky texture but it was now sprinkled with a very becoming tint of gray. His shoulders were broader and arms stronger. All traces of a lanky teenager were gone. Now stood a very powerful and perhaps even dangerous man. But his eyes… his eyes were just as beautiful as she remembered. Dark as ebony but she knew if she got closer she would find the same tiny blue specks in their inky depths.

Her musings were interrupted when a deep voice called her name. "Eleanor?" he said softly.

She merely nodded, still not trusting her own voice. Come on Ella, don't miss your chance. It might be the only one you'll ever get.

"I wanted to thank you for the kind words you wrote in your letter. I can assure you that I do not deserve such high praise. I, of course, won't keep you any longer if you need to get back to the ball. These types of events are not something I enjoy," he said softly, slowly taking in the sight of the stunning woman in front of him.

Ella still stood frozen like a statue. Severus took her lack of speech as disinterest and slowly began making his way to the door.

"You're wrong," she finally chocked out, her voice sounding much huskier than it normally did.

"Excuse me?" he inquired, turning back to meet her gaze.

"You do deserve my praise. You took care of so many people…just like you always took care of me," she said softly, her heavy voice barely over a whisper.

"What do you mean? When did I…"

Severus' deep voice trailed off as she walked closer to the beauty before him. Something about her seemed familiar but with all the makeup, diamonds and frills, he was unable to see. Stopping right in front of her, he slowly reached out with a tentative hand and gently smoothed back a stray curl from her face. His knuckles lightly grazed her warm cheeks, causing Ella to let out a small gasp. Mustering up all the courage she could find, she slowly looked up and met his gaze. Please remember me, Severus.

"What do you get with you mix a badger and a snake?" he asked, hesitantly.

"The perfect potions partners," she answered with a nervous smile.

"Ella? Ella Northington, my little Hufflepuff?"

"In the flesh," said Ella, letting out a sigh of relief.

"So you are Eleanor?"

"I hate that name. I only use it at work. Ella doesn't exactly sound professional."

"You've grown since I last saw you," he said. His voice sounded lower than it did before.

Ella blushed when she noticed his eyes trailing down her body, before quickly meeting her eyes once again.

"Why did you write me, Ella?" he asked as he inched his way even closer towards her, his distinct masculine scent nearly overwhelming her.

"I just wanted to thank you," she whispered, now completely under his spell.

"It is I who should be thanking you for not giving up on me. It seems that you were the only one who didn't," said Severus as he once again pushed a stray hair away from her brown eyes.

"Severus, I…"

But her sentence was cut short when Severus quickly leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. His kiss was soft, sweet and so gentle, you would have never known he had once been the right hand man of one of the world's most destructive murderers. The kiss had a sense of hesitancy, like a teenage boy would have while kissing his school crush behind the Quidditch pitch for the first time. It was not rushed or all consuming, yet it satisfied an ache that they both were feeling but didn't know how to soothe.

After a few minutes of exploring the delicious textures of each other's lips, Severus pulled back and cupped Ella's face gently in his calloused hands. He gazed once again into her eyes as if he searching for an answer to a question he could not verbalize.

"Severus…I…I want to be with you. I've wanted to be with you since I was a little girl. I want to show you what it's like to be loved and cherished. If you just give me a chance, I promise…"

Not being one to express sentiments, Severus once again pulled the witch into his arms and kissed her again. This time a little more heat was involved. Ella's body involuntarily melted against his lean frame as he wrapped his arms around her in a feverish attempt to get closer to her. His tongue gently grazed her bottom lip as if to beg for permission to enter. She, of course, complied and when she finally tasted him, her knees nearly buckled from sensory overload.

"Yes," he breathed, doing his best to not break their kiss. "I want to be with you, Ella, please."

Ella slowly pulled away so she could once again look into his eyes. A strange mixture of happiness and uncertainty was clearly etched across his pale features.

"What's wrong, Severus?" she asked gently.

"I don't want to mess it up," he finally said after a few hesitant moments. "I don't know how to do this. And I want to do it right. I don't exactly have a good record."

"Neither do I," she said with a small laugh. "We could start with something simple, like coffee."

"Coffee?" he said, clearly confused.

"Yes, you could take me out on a date to get some coffee. It is a perfectly normal way to start a relationship. No expectations, no pressure…just coffee."

"I think I could handle that," he said, a crooked smile finally gracing his features.

"When would you like to go? There's no hurry…I mean, I know you are busy and I don't want you to think…"

"Now."

"Now! But I have to clean up after the ball tonight," she said, her face showing very clearly her disappointment.

"No…now. I have a feeling I can pull a few strings and free you up for the evening," he said with a smirk as he thought about the old witch who had nearly accosted him at the doorway. "Please say you will go with me now?"

"Yes," she sighed as he once again took her in his arms.

"Good. I need plenty of time to thank you, my most loyal Hufflepuff."

A/N: Thanks so much for reading and a big hug to Sasha2010 for being my beautiful beta! Don't forget to leave me a little review. It will make my day!