Hell is empty and all the devils are here.

- William Shakespeare

"Eleanor Selwyn, are you ready for an absolutely marvellous day?" Adrian asked as he dramatically held out his hand. I stood up from the Slytherin table where we just had breakfast and bid my friends goodbye.

"I am, thank you very much", I said as I grabbed my coat. I didn't like to admit it, but I had put a little more effort into my outfit today. I wore a green and deep grey plaid dress with some tights for extra warmth and some black leather booties. My coat matched the black shoes and my hair was down like normal, with a little pin on the side to keep it out of my face.

I accepted Adrian's arm and let him guide me out of the Great Hall. We passed Malfoy and he looked at Adrian sceptically. He was still sufferable, being annoying but not terrible.

"You look beautiful, by the way", Adrian said as we walked into the crisp October air.

"Why thank you, you don't look half bad yourself", I smiled.

It was about a twenty minute walk to Hogsmeade, but it was never awkward with Adrian. He talked so casually, as if we'd been friends for years.

"So, are you forced to go to the Ministry's Christmas party again this year?" Adrian chuckled. The Ministry hosted an exclusive Christmas party every year for a select audience. My parents dragged me with them every year and it was dreadful. All families of the Sacred Twenty-Eight were invited and unfortunately, that meant Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy bloody Parkinson. Luckily Daphne was invited as well, but I expected her to have her eyes set on some other company.

"I'm afraid so, will you be there again?" I asked. Adrian was also one of the invites due to his father's position at the Ministry. I hadn't talked to him much in the past. We conversed a little last year, as it was only a couple days after the Yule Ball, but nothing much.

"I don't think so. My parents are going through some stuff and I'm staying with my mother at the moment", he sighed.

"Your parents? Is everything okay?"

"Not sure", he shrugged. "I wouldn't be surprised if they are divorced by the time I return, but maybe it's for the best. The summer was not particularly pleasant." His pained look hurt me. Although my parents sure weren't the most romantic and loving people, they rarely fought. I never had to endure family fights and parents who grow apart.

"I'm really sorry, Adrian. I hope everything works out." He smiled and I spontaneously smiled back.

"How about I treat you to a drink?" Adrian asked.

"Sure, but I will be dragging you around to do some shopping afterwards", I grinned. We only got to go to Hogsmeade a few times a year, I had to enjoy it whilst I could.

"Whatever you want."

We walked to the Three Broomsticks and found ourselves a seat in the back with a view out of the icy window. Adrian pulled out my chair for me and then went to order some drinks. I really wished I'd suddenly discover some kind of flaw in this man, because if this is who he truly was, generous with kindness, a gentleman and criminally handsome, I was a lost cause. I was catching feelings for him and I knew it.

I looked out the window and noticed Malfoy with Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy. The girl was clinging onto his arm, pressing herself against the boy. Why did he allow that? I thought he was more interested in Daphne? I had barely seen him with Pansy all year.

"Here you go", Adrian said and handed me a warm cup of Butterbeer.

"Thank you", I mumbled, still glancing over at the scene outside.

"Everything okay?" he asked as he noticed by absence.

"Yes, I'm very sorry", I smiled, pulling my eyes from the window.

"Is it Malfoy again?" he asked suspiciously.

"How do you know?" I frowned.

"Well, it's always Selwyn and Malfoy, isn't it?" he chuckled awkwardly.

"Selwyn and Malfoy? That even sounds ridiculous", I scoffed. "Our names should not be in one sentence together unless the word "hates" is in between them."

"Oh come on, if you really hated him, you'd have started ignoring him a long time ago."

"I'm not going to let him talk to me like he does without saying something about it."

"I'm not saying you should, definitely not, but it's not always him who starts the bickering."

He wasn't completely wrong, I did start with the little fights sometimes, but that was because I enjoyed taunting him, not because I enjoyed his company.

"I'm sorry I started about it. Let's bring up a more pleasant subject, like the match against Gryffindor in two weeks. Will you be there?" he asked.

"Of course I'll be there. I have never missed a quidditch game before."

"Great, then I'll make sure it's a match worth spending your time on", he winked. I analysed his features to stop the blush from creeping onto my cheeks. No need to blush.

"Can I ask you a rather personal question, Adrian?" I asked, leaning forward, resting my chin on my hand.

"Of course, what is it?"

"Why are you so flirty this year? We met last year but this year you've started acting differently, even though you know I don't date."

"Aren't we on a date right now, Selwyn?" he smirked. I raised an eyebrow, not responding so he could not avoid my question.

"Well it's different this year. You were just fourteen when we went to the ball together. Now you're almost sixteen and you've ... changed quite a bit", he said, blushing slightly.

"So it's because I have boobs now?" I remarked, shaking my head. "Repulsive."

"No, no, it's not that", Adrian defended himself. "I just see you differently. You're not a little girl anymore. You're more mature and intelligent and you suddenly have this demanding presence that just seems to captivate me." Why was he so good with words? It was very difficult to keep my composure around him.

"And you've become very beautiful, but I'm not talking about the shape of your body."

"Well, thank you, that's very nice", I mumbled.

"What about you? Is the only reason you accepted to come with me the bet about becoming quidditch captain?"

"What if it was?"

"Then I would not believe you."

I could not suppress the smile that was pulling at the edges of my lips and I felt a feeling I hadn't felt since the Yule Ball. The feeling had caught me so off guard that time, because it was the first time I had felt it. I had felt it when I walked down the stairs to the Great Hall and I caught Adrian's stare. The way his mouth was slightly agape and he didn't blink for a good half minute. I felt it again, very briefly.

Tiny little butterflies.

"Well, I'll admit that you're not the worst company", I said, not breaking eye contact.

"That's the nicest thing you've said to me in over a month, Selwyn, we're really getting somewhere here", he joked.

"I'm not an easy catch. Shouldn't surprise you", I shrugged, finishing my Butterbeer.

"Good thing I like a challenge."

I put on my coat to hide the blush that was definitely there now and grabbed my scarf.

"Come on, let's do some shopping", I grinned.

I linked my arm through his again as we walked out. It was chilly, but there was no wind and the sun was out.

"Do you mind if we stop by Spintwitches for a little? I need some new gloves", he said as we passed the sports supply shop. I nodded and we walked in.

Adrian was a very driven quidditch player, so I decided to let him look around on his own for a while. I had never played quidditch and I probably wouldn't be very good at it, but it seemed fun. It seemed like something I wanted to try.

"Didn't think I'd ever catch you in a sports supply shop." I turned around to see Malfoy next to the stand behind me, turning one of the displayed snitches around in his hand.

"What can I say, I'm full of surprises", I said, admiring the little golden ball. I had never seen a snitch up close before and it was actually kind of beautiful. Malfoy noticed my look of admiration and handed me the small object.

"Here, you seem a lot more interested than me", he said.

"I've just never seen one up close. They're quite beautiful", I mumbled, taking the snitch and turning it around between my index finger and thumb.

"Bloody annoying they are. Only nice when they don't have their wings out."

"Well annoying or not, you better catch it when you play against Gryffindor", I said, putting it back where it was displayed first.

"Of course I will. I'm not letting Potter win", he sneered. I wasn't the biggest fan of Harry Potter, but Malfoy's dislike for the boy was on a whole different level. It was one big cockfight, both wanting to be better than the other.

"I'm counting on it", I said as I noticed Adrian walking up to me with a small paper bag.

"See you around, Malfoy." I met up with Adrian again and we left the shop.

"Again with Malfoy, are you sure I don't have any competition?" he smirked.

"You've got loads of competition, Pucey, but Malfoy isn't one of them", I said. "He's not exactly my type personality wise."

"Well I'm sure your mother would be elated. It still hurts that I was the second choice as your Yule Ball date."

"Oh if it was up to my mother and Mrs Malfoy, we would've been betrothed already. Luckily I have a little bit of control over my own life still", I sighed. My life had been a set puzzle since I was born, but that was a piece of the puzzle that I refused to put down.

"Well, I'm glad about that", Adrian winked. "How about I continue convincing you I'm worth your time by buying you some sweets. I've heard the way to a woman's heart is through her stomach", he grinned.

"Well", I mumbled. "I can't exactly deny that."