Early January

"You look like you died over break."

Eleanor looked up, rolling her eyes when they landed on the boy in front of her. "Wow, you really know how to make a girl feel good about herself."

Sirius Black took the seat beside her without a word, looking around the vacant library.

"What are you doing here Sirius?" Eleanor finally spoke, closing the muggle mathematics textbook in front of her and turning to the boy beside her.

Sirius cracked a smirk, "finally, I was wondering how long it'd be before you decided to give me your attention. Now put away your muggle homework. I've got a surprise for you."

Eleanor faltered, frown slowly finding its way across her lips, "but I've got loads to do. I'm trying to graduate muggle schooling early, you know this."

His grey eyes rolled and his smirk seemed to widen, "you're such a Ravenclaw. Come on, one night away from the library won't do you any harm." He stood, offering her his arm, "besides, I'm sure you spent all holiday locked up in your room studying."

Eleanor sighed but packed away her muggle textbook and accepted Sirius' outstretched hand to help her up. "Fine. But only because you're right. I'm half a year ahead of schedule, one night off won't hurt."

"Great." Sirius shoved his hands deep into his pockets and flashed her a smirk.

Together they walked out of the library and Eleanor allowed herself to be lead away by the boy who had slowly become one of her best friends.

-

"Perfect, isn't it?"

Eleanor looked around, taking in the frozen lake and bare trees. The ground was covered in a light dusting of snow and looked fresh, hardly any footprints marring the white slate. "Very pretty."

Sirius looked happy with her agreement and started off closer towards the edge of the ice covered lake. He took careful steps onto the dock and stopped only when he was right on the edge.

Eleanor followed, staring hard at her feet as she took the small steps with great hesitation. At last, she was at Sirius' side and she finally took the opportunity to look up.

Sirius was watching her, waiting to see her expression. He was not disappointed as a soft smile slid onto her lips.

"Winter is my favorite, you know."

Eleanor looked over at him, "really? Never took you for a winter kind of guy."

He gave a bark of laughter, "and what do I seem like?"

She shrugged with a grin, "you look more like a summer guy."

"Summer?" He shook his head in disbelief, "don't be ridiculous! I was made for winter."

"Whatever you say, Sirius," she laughed softly, rolling her eyes playfully.

"You though, you seem like a spring girl."

"That I am," she agreed, clapping her hands together with fake astonishment.

Sirius grinned proudly.

With a softness to her voice that hadn't previously been there, she asked, "why do you like winter so much? It's so cold." Eleanor watched the fog slowly form from each exhale of her breath.

He paused for a minute, thinking over his response before speaking. "I just really like how everything looks so raw, you know?" He kicked softly at some of the snow under his foot, "everything dies off only to be reborn more beautiful than before. I guess it just symbolizes the fresh start of everything."

"That's an interesting way of thinking Sirius."

He shrugged, looking away from her.

"You don't have to be embarrassed to speak your thoughts with me. You can tell me anything, you know."

He looked over to her eventually, eyes narrowing slightly as he scrutinized her. Almost like he was checking to make sure she wasn't lying. An easy smile soon overtook his features and Eleanor couldn't help but think that in that moment he looked so genuinely happy.

"I lied when I said you weren't a good listener and you gave bad advice, you know, last year? You're a good guy, Sirius. And I got your back, okay?"

Slowly, he nodded. "Yeah, okay."

She smiled, "good. Because you were really there for me. I appreciate it."

Sirius' smile brightened and he glanced sideways at her, studying her. "Hey Eli?"

"Yeah?" She turned to meet his gaze.

Sirius quickly looked away, "I'm glad that I was the one that found you."

Eleanor frowned in confusion, slightly taken aback. "Found me? Sirius, I've never been lost. Well, I mean, sure I got lost a few times in first year, but I always found my way."

Sirius cut off her rambling with his loud laughter, "no, Eli!" He looked to her again, wide smile in place, "in front of Dumbledore's office, I meant. I'm glad I was the one that found you there and gave you the password."

Her eyes brows raised in surprise and a soft murmur of realization escaped her lips. A smile that could rival Sirius' slipped onto her lips. "Yeah, I'm glad it was you too."

A smirk quickly took over his smile. "Seeing you break down was pretty funny though," he joked.

"You prick," she quickly responded and without missing a beat her hand jerked out to push him. Sirius seemed to have seen it coming because he caught her hand with ease, though did move a little too quickly on the dock that was a little too icy.

Sirius slipped forward, pulling Eleanor along with him. A squeal left her lips as she collided with him mid-fall. Sirius landed on one knee, his other leg thrown out in front of him; Eleanor fell right into his left side, knocking him off balance and pushing him down all at once.

A groan escaped Sirius' lips at the same moment his back hit the cold, snow covered wood of the dock. Eleanor remained silent as the wind was knocked out of her. Eventually Sirius managed an, "alright Eli?"

A low groan was her only reply.

"Yeah, me too."

When she was fully recovered, Eli pushed herself up, hovering over Sirius. "Damn Sirius."

"I believe that I should be the one saying 'damn Eli' because it was you who pushed me."

Eleanor scoffed, "yeah right. I believe I should be the one saying 'damn Sirius' because it was you who was acting like a dick to begin with."

"Are you mocking me, Reynolds?" Sirius smirked up at her.

"Maybe I am, Black. What's it to you?" Eleanor climbed off Sirius, sitting on the edge of the dock.

Sirius sat beside her with a grin on his mouth. "Like I said Eli, I'm glad I found you."

"Me too."

The pair looked back towards the frozen lake and bare trees and snow-covered ground, completely content in the comfortable silence that surrounded them.