Eleanor Snape- Book 3

He Loves Me Not?

"Oh, dear. What happened?" Mrs. Shea asked. Gregory shed his jacked and other winter things and sat them by the fire with him, trying to warm up. I sat over beside him, cross legged.

"Well," He put his hands closer to the flames. "We did a lot of visiting the last two days, and we ran out of Floo Powder. Mum didn't tell me that until ten minutes before seven. My parents couldn't Apparate me here because they've never been, so, I flew here on my broom."

"Goodness! You flew here all the way from your house?!" Mr. Cornelius exclaimed.

"You flew all the way here for me?" I asked.

"Yep." He smiled again. I happily squealed and hugged him.

"Hello, Gregory." Luna emerged from the hallway with Rufus, following behind her.

"Hey, Looney." Gregory greeted. "Fudgecake." I gave him a hard warning squeeze; he had to be nice. He picked up the package he had come with and placed it in my lap. "And this is for you."

"Oh, Gregory-"

"Wait!" Mrs. Shea got up. "You must be freezing. Rufus, go get Gregory a blanket, please. And Sarah Beth, what about Gregory's present?"

"Oh, yeah!" I jumped up as well and grabbed his present from under the tree. "Here you go!" He laughed. Mrs. Shea left the room and came back with a steaming rag.

"Here, sweetie, this will help warm you up... Rufus?"

"I'm here! I'm here!" He replied, coming back into the room. He balled up the blanket and threw it at Gregory. For a moment a flicker of hate passed between them, but it disappeared as fast as it came.

"Thank you, Rufus." Mrs. Shea chuckled as she sat back down. I turned to Gregory.

"Can I open it now?! Pllllleeeeeeeeeeease?! Can I?!" Everyone laughed, except Rufus.

"Now, now. Be patent, Sarah Beth." Mr. Cornelius instructed.

"Ughhhhhhhhhhhh! Whyyyyyy?!"

"We can open them at the same time! Go ahead!" Gregory laughed again. I grabbed the package and quickly pulled off the paper. Then, I pulled the lid off the box inside.

"Oh, Gregory! I love it!" I pulled out the pink scarf with little snitched on it and wrapped it around my neck joyfully.

"There's more!" Gregory said as he quickly started unwrapping his own package. I looked; inside the box was a matching hat, mittens, and even a pink bow with a snitch in the center!

"Oh! I love it all! Where did you find it all!?"

"It wasn't easy! He finished opening his, "But it's a secret!...is this signed by who I think it is?!"

"Yup!" I widley smiled.

"How did you get Victor Krum's autograph?!" He exclaimed, holding up the bludger. During the last school year he had always wanted to get Krum's autograph, but never could because Draco wouldn't let him.

"I have my ways, too!" I winked at Mr. Cornelius, who winked back. Gregory continued starring at the ball. "Happy Christmas! I love my gift, and you!" I threw my arms around him; he still didn't react. A pang of jealousy hit me. Annoyed, I slapped it from his hand. It hit the floor and then rolled across the room.

"Sorry, what was that?" He finally broke from his trance-like state.

"Nothing." I crossed my arms.

"Oh, sorry, I love you, too!" He shook his head, fully getting the picture.

"I think we should go to the dinning room..." Mr. Cornelius suggested, clearly thinking Gregory and I should be alone. The rest of the grown ups agreed and followed as he got up. "You, too, Rufus."