light up, light up.

The fresh air of the night was always welcome in Ellie's lungs, even more so than usual after having a particularly bad case of the flu. Stupid flu. The bloody flu.

The Hufflepuff didn't even know how she'd contracted it. She hadn't been anywhere, done anything, she'd barely even seen anyone. Either way, it was gone, and she wasn't contagious.

However, on the ultimate down side, she'd suffered an outbreak of... Of... She couldn't even bring herself to think of it. But taking her pocket mirror out of her breast pocket, she pulled back her hair and sighed. "He won't love you if you're not perfect," she sighed and replaced the golden locks in their usual, over hair sprayed state.

Looking into the mirror made Ellie realise something she hadn't before.

She wasn't wearing any makeup at all.

Not one drop of the stuff, and she was out in shorts an a baggy shirt. She could imagine someone walking by and snickering at her state of dress. She probably looked atrocious, if you added that she was only wearing trainer socks too and no shoes.

He had searched the woods for an interesting activity, and none had come to him. He was stuck with spending the rest of his night wandering, and he didn't know how long it would be before the sun broke out of its rest and came to him so that he could rush back to school as soon as possible.

Timothy had matured during Ellie's absence. He didn't know exactly what commitment had done to him but even if he didn't know exactly what he was up to the change was welcome. His family would pat his back if they ever saw him not making out with someone who was three years his senior like he had in the past.

He saw another figure walking in the forest, and a wild sense of fear gripped him. It wasn't the suspense of its identity or the actions that would have an effect on his future that would torment the Slytherin's mind: it was the fact that he was out here. At night. Probably experiencing mirages like those he had never seen before.

Sighing softly towards himself, Timothy walked silently towards the figure, taking careful steps. He constantly looked at the ground to not step on any branches. Eternity was the period of time he felt while stepping over every branch, a stepping stone towards the figure.

The moonlight gave way to its wild blonde hair. The Slytherin smiled.

"Ellie?" he questioned, placing his arms around her waist, "I've always wanted to see you. The Healer was especially strict about that." He laughed, "What are you doing out at this time of night, hmm? It's not safe."

Footsteps. They were all around her, yet she hadn't seen anyone around. She tried to stop, sucking in her belly and standing dead still in the hope that somehow, she wouldn't be seen. She didn't want a professor to catch her out this late. Heck, she didn't want a professor to catch her here at all.

Her eyes closed, the Hufflepuff tried to focus on the other's breathing. That was when she realised it wasn't that of a professor, but a student. She relaxed and turned to face the boy approaching, eyes lighting up a considerable amount at his features.

If there was one thing that Ellie had missed most in her absence, it was him. But she didn't want him to be coughing up his lungs too; it wouldn't be fair.
"Timothy?" she smiled, trying to hide half her face with hair. "I guess it was sort of within reason. Both of us poorly? No," she giggled. "And uh... Fresh air?" she shrugged. "But you're here too, so you can't say anything," she added with a grin and a sly wink.