Ella couldn't help the laugh that escaped her when Taylor told her that her ears might bleed. "I highly doubt that." Ella said, smiling at the older claw. "You'll be great!" Ella knew it. Especially since Taylor had shared that she'd been playing from an early age. When she started to play, Ella felt her mouth drop open. It stayed that way until Taylor finished. She didn't really know what to say so she just kind of blinked at the girl, smiling.

Tay saw the girl's mouth drop open and her kind of blinked, "That bad?" She laughed and smiled. Taylor laid the guitar on the ground so if Ella wanted to play another song, then she could.

Today was a good day. Weather wise and date wise.

April tenths were good. Ellie owed a lot to whoever created them. Imagine if there were no such thing! There would be no Treyen! A thought far too horrible to really dwell on. Even hypothetically.

Anyway, the redhead wandered over to the Whomping Willow where her boyfriend should be joining her, and sat on a patch of grass. She clutched a lumpy, very badly wrapped, misshapen package, and played with the wrinkles in the paper until Treyen came.

Eighteen. That was...a very high number. Just another year, though. Still, he could barely remember turning eleven and now he was off age and everything. The thought of this being his last birthday at Hogwarts made him dismiss the presents sent to him today. He'll open those later on, there was no hurry in finding out what others got him.

Fortunately, he had something to look forward to this day. Ellie. Arya will have to wait, simple as that. She could have him next year.

There was a wide smile on his face as soon as he noticed the red hair and his pace got faster. Once there, he sat next to her and kissed her cheek, "Hi."

Taylor's voice snapped Ella out of her trance and she shook her head. "No. Not bad, Taylor, it was great!" She said, smiling. "You're quite good actually. I think you should take it up professionally or something!" Ella wasn't being sarcastic either, she was genuinely impressed. "Maybe if you become a professional you could write a song about me or something?" That would be cool. She could entitle it 'The Cheerful Badger' or something!

Tay blushed and smiled, "Thanks Ella.... but i dont think i will ever been good enough to do it professionally....." After thinking about the thought of doing professionally, "But i would defintely write a song about you if i did." Taylor laughed and smiled at the sweet first year.

"You're welcome and well...you never know! It could happen" Ella said with an excited smile. "My dad always says that kids should dream big while they're young, something about it pushing you to do great things or whatever...Plus, you really should give yourself more credit." Even though Ella had trouble with that concept herself. She smiled at the older girl when she said she would write a song about her in the event that she did become a musician. "Thanks! And if I'm ever good enough, I'll do the same for you...something like...Taylor-Ms. Taylor-she's going to go so far. Nicest Claw at Hogwarts and she's killer on guitar!...something like that!" Now that song would be a hit.

Tay smiled, "It would be neat but i'm probably going to do what my father tried to get me to do." She grimaced not wanting it. "Ok how about this.... if i give myself more credit, you need to too?" TAylor grinned at Ella. About the song thing, "Aww thanks...... and nice rhyming there." She laughed.

She heard the footsteps, and KNEW it was him. Either because she knew his gait, or could just SENSE it. Either one was fine for her. Amazing how much she payed attention without meaning to. To know his manner of walking and such.

Ellie kept her gaze down, though, until he'd taken a seat. Then she lifted her head, grinning, and shifted her position just enough to kiss him properly. "Happy Birthday!"

And lookit! She had a present!

Ella eyed Taylor curiously, wondering what profession she was being forced asked to pursue. "And what does he want you to do?" Ella was sure her own father expected her to do something artsy, she had grown up in a creative environment after all. She raised her eyebrows at Taylor suggestion about giving credit. "Alright, it won't be easy but I'll try if you will." It was a good deal. She began to laugh about her impromtu song. "Thanks, clearly not my best but I'm just learning." She said with a giggle.

"He wanted me to do politics.... well that was what he said the last time i saw him before he died...." She trailed off then laughed at Ella's comment, "Yes it will be hard but i wil try." Taylor nodded and smiled, "It was good for being impromtu though."

"Oh, well politics could be fun maybe?" She offered, trying to be helpful. She frowned when Taylor said her father had died. Ella had almost lost her father earlier in the year and it had nearly broke her. "I'm so sorry." She said softly. She then gave Taylor a genuine smile, wondering in her head how she could deal with something so hard.

"Politics are horrible." She grimaced then laughed. When Ella said she is sorry about Tay's father dieing, Taylor waved it off, "It is fine, Ella. It hadnt fully hit me yet.... I mean i am still shocked even after a few months since i still feel like as soon as i leave here i will be seeing his face...." Tay half smiled.

How come she was always excited for birthdays, eh? Not that he wasn't, but this one was different and rather bittersweet. He was still smiling, how could he not? Especially after getting a kiss from her.

See, that was all he needed. Ellie. Nothing else.

"Thanks." And yes, he noticed the present. Hadn't he told her before that she shouldn't get him presents? That it was him the one that should give her gifts? He supposed he could accept them today, though. Today only. His mind wandered off to Arya, she was one who loved giving him stuff as well. And she usually gave a lot of thought before getting them too, when he'll be happy with just a card. Aaron knew him well, considering he usually got a card and candy from his best friend.

There was a smirk on his face now, "I take it that's for me?" The gift.

He was certainly welcome.

"Mostly," she said, flipping the package once or twice in her hands. Clearly, it wasn't fragile or anything. "I mean, you get to keep it." Them. "But I suppose I sort of benefit a bit, too.....Maybe." Ellie was enjoying making this more complicated than it really was.

She handed the gift over. Inside which, he'll find two t-shirts. "Open it." Because his reaction should be interesting...maybe. And she'll enjoy telling him her reasoning behind them.

Which she'll provide even if Treyen did find it obvious. Heh.

Mostly? What does that mean? That made him curious. And now he was having difficulty trying to keep his eyes away from the gift in front of him. Difficulty because he'd rather keep them on her instead.

Then he raised an eyebrow at her. He got to keep it? Wasn't that the whole purpose of it all? That you gave something to someone and they got to keep it? That's what he thought. Curiosity washed over him, though, and he took the gift from her hands as soon as she handed it to him. There was no reason for her to command him to open the present, though. He knew what to do.

Plus, now he really wanted to open it. Even if he took his time tearing the paper apart.

Well, now, this was incredibly amusing. The smile on his face suggested so. "You know, if we get to play against you in the Championship, I bet Keefer will find amusing if I wear one of these under my uniform." Perhaps amusing was not the word. Perhaps it was.

"How will this benefit you exactly?" Basically, explain.

Did...he like them then? Actually, for once, she didn't care all that much. Treyen could wear them only to bed for all she cared. Or just tuck them away in his trunk for forever more. She more liked that he had them, regardless.

Ellie laughed. "Which one's that?" Which one would the 'Puff captain find MOST amusing, eh? "I think you could whether we do play you or not." But they will. She had full confidence they'd win their Lion match.

Wasn't that obvious, though? "Because you'll be wearing that one," the Ravenclaw one, "To the match to show your support." Yes, yes he will. She was going to make sure of that. "And everyone will know where you stand." And she'll have his support. Not that she thought he'd cheer on Gryffindor, but...well, it was just like anyone else wearing the house colors of who they preferred to win. Simple outward support.

"I got the Hufflepuff one, too, so I don't have to keep stealing your jacket," she added. Plus, it was probably going to be too hot for the Championship match to be very comfortable in his jacket, should they lose their match. And also, it would be mighty difficult to steal his jacket next term.

But, of course, she'd still be supporting the Badgers.

Maxwell was laying between two large roots of the tree who tried to take a swing at him just a week or so back. He was waiting for Taylor and trying to control his eyes they were a blue, not dark but not light. He was using the back of his compass as a mirror to look at his eyes and change them back to brown but with each attempt they changed back again to blue and he frowned with each failure.

Tay walked down the pathway to the whomping williow, goign to meet up with Maxwell. She spotted him laying down, "Hey." Taylor called out and walked over to where he was laying down at.

"Hi." he said and his eyes started to lighten up at the sight of her. "Will you sit with me? I want to ask you something." He said gesturing to his spot.

"Sure." She sat next to him, "What cha question?" Tay tilted her head and waited for the question.

YES, Ellie, he liked them. Then again, he'd like anything she could ever give him.

Then she laughed, and he couldn't help but laugh a little too. Keefer would probably find BOTH to be extremely amusing. But more so the Ravenclaw one. "The Ravenclaw one, I'm sure." Also, it was slightly inaccurate since he loved a Ravenclaw, not the entire House. But it wasn't the same, his Captain won't find it as amusing if they failed to play against Ravenclaw. Now he had one GOOD reason for wanting the Eagles to win their match against Gryffindor. Sorry, Lions, but the Head Boy had a new t-shirt to wear. "I will, then." He smiled. Since when did she get to decide what he wore to a match, eh? Bossy.

But..., "I think everyone knows where I stand, Ellie, regardless of what I wear," he said, as he placed one hand on the side of her face and then leaned in for another kiss. Seriously, though, he was supporting his girlfriend, for as long as she'd allow him to. It was obvious. People knew what was obvious.

"Thank you." He liked his present, really.

Stealing his jacket? He liked it when she got to wear it. There was one thing he still didn't understand, yellow and her hair didn't get along too well, at least not the Hufflepuff one, so...why did she like it so much? His hand moved over to her hair and so did his eyes, it was easier to think of next term when his eyes weren't on hers, "You can have it for next term, if you want to," he didn't mind, as long as she returned it...

..."I don't mind that you wear it...," but he was asking something else..., "...why do you like to, though?"

"Are-are you afraid of me, of my eyes?" He asked nervously and hoped for an honest answer either way. "Because i'm trying to control them! I'm trying to learn what emotions they show so i can hide them, i won't show them if you don't want me to." He said hoping it's what she wanted. "When i was talking to Damon he told me you said you were afraid of them and i wanted to control it so you had nothing to fear." He said still nervous. his eyes were still blue but a much lighter blue now that she was with him.

Tay glanced at him, "Maxwell to be honest, at first they did frighten me but i have grown use to seeing them change. It is actually starting to be a little cute." She blushed and laughed. Taylor laid her head on his shoulder, "Don't worry about what Damon says, he is probably just trying to frighten you because i am like a sister to him." Tay glanced up at him without moving her head, "Why are you sad?" She had a frown on her face, wanting to comfort him. Taylor remembered the last time she saw him have blue eyes.....

Maxwell smiled a little, is eyes now sky blue. "We just didn't have the best of talks, He and I. He doesn't like me and he really doesn't like me being with you." He said a little cryptically. "But, we had an agreement. And i will stick to my end and drop any suspicions i have of him." He said and gave her a very little smile.