Annabel Lee

Severus’s Point of View

Christmas break came up quickly this year, and as usual I would be left alone while my friends went home for the holidays. Well not technically, Annabelle was staying over break, but I think she had some sort of plans already.

"I guess we'll see you guys in a few days," Regulus said holding onto his cart. He would be going back to his house with his brother. Instead of going with him, Narcissa was going over to Lucius's manor.

"Take care," Narcissa said hugging Annabelle and she smiled hugging back. "I'll send you an owl!" she said heading out the common room door.

"See you mate," Lucius nodded and followed behind her, and when the door slammed we were left alone. Annabelle wrapped the blanket that draped around her tighter and walked quickly to the girls' dormitories. Slightly disheartened by her lack of farewells, I sat down on the couch to rest a little more. I was too lazy to go back up to my room. But within about a half hour Annabelle came out of the girl's dormitories and into the common room with me. She had her hair put up in ponytail, which I'd never seen before. It showed her face a lot and kept her bangs out of her eyes.

"Where are you going?" I asked pulling off a grumbled and started taking out some potion supplies. She jumped and turned me smiling as she clutched something to her chest.

"Nowhere, I'll be back later," she said in her usual kind whisper as she held onto the small envelope in her hand. I nodded turning back to my potions set before I heard the door click. I let the small buzzing in my chest go and began on a small and simple Mandrake Draught. After I added the roots I couldn't help but sigh and pick up my beat up potions book, I had made every potion in this thing twice already and was getting bored with these unchallenging potions.

I finished in record time and was packing everything away when Annabelle rushed inside and slammed the door. I nearly spilled the whole case over when I saw her slide down the door and clutch her stomach. Her hair was unleashed from the bow that had held it up. I rushed over and uneasily stayed back from touching her. She was gasping and staring in front of her with widely opened eyes but didn't seem to really see me.

"Annabelle?" I questioned and waved my hand in front of her face, but she didn't so much as flinch when I did. A light coat of sweat covered her pallid skin. It was creepy; she never acted this scared before. "Annabelle!" I said shaking her shoulder and she made a small cry as she shuffled away but then the daze in her eyes left and became clear. She looked confused for a while, but then she looked my way and smiled ever so gently.

"Oh hey," she whispered and started standing up. I noticed she didn't have the envelope from earlier in her hands, which were still holding onto her stomach with her ribbon enlaced in it, anymore.

"Are you ok?" I asked, having a feeling that I shouldn't ask why. She nodded happily and swayed her way up standing. She went over to my half-packed potions supplies and started putting things away.

"Here," she said picking up my torn up book and handed it to me. I awkwardly took it from her hands and mumbled thanks. It seemed like we just stood there to be polite, because we each wanted to go to our separate rooms. Finally I gave a lopsided smile and shrugged, and she nodded and waved as she rushed off to her room. I went back to my empty room and picked up the slightly long piece of parchment. I blushed at the name Lucius had given the list had written.

10 Things to Buy Your Crush for Christmas
Regulus and I have taken on the responsibility of writing up a list of gifts you can get Annabelle. These ideas are based solely on Annabelle's personality and yours as well. Enjoy mate and knock her dead!

1. Jewelry (Girls like that stuff I guess, necklace maybe?)
2. Clothes (Anything really, she doesn't wear anything but her robes)
3. Pajama's (Narcissa says that, I don't know why)
4. Poetry book of one of her favorite authors (Your job to find out who that is)
5. Make-up (I don't think she owns any right?)
6. Notebook (Hers are all dirty looking)
7. Hair stuff (Again, Narcissa)
8. Music (...?)

I blushed at the final two on the list and dropped it, letting the list sail its way to the bed pillow. Let me explain, I planned on buying Annabelle a Christmas present only because she had been so clingy to me. That was the one and only reason. I'd only buy her a gift because she always so desperately hung to every word I said and listened attentively to me with my ranting. I'd get her something only because even when I basically threw insults at her, she would shine that bloody smile of hers at me like I had praised her.

…

Even if I do have a crush on her, she's still a trouble making git.

But I knew in the end I would buy her something, one way or another. So I picked up my pillow and reached around inside the pillowcase. After a few minutes of digging I pulled out my stash of money and took out all eighteen knuts and one sickle and galleon. My mum had made sure to send me off with them just in case I need to by something, but I didn't think it could really buy me much.

I set them back away and sat down at the desk. I was going to reply to the letter my mother had sent me this morning containing my Christmas gift, a pair of socks and underwear. I didn't blame her for the crummy presents; she never really was good with knowing what to buy me. A thought came to me and I got out a piece of parchment, dipping my quill in ink. This could work.

Christmas Day

I pushed the poorly wrapped present in my lap around. It was wrapped in a brown paper bag that I had tried to make look like wrapping paper. I closed my eyes and rested my head on my pillow; everyone had gone downstairs to get their presents from under the Christmas tree in the common room. I knew I didn't have anything so I stayed up in my room for most the morning reading. When it got to around noon I walked slowly outside to Black Lake with her present tucked in my robe.

Maybe I shouldn't give it to her after all. I thought sitting down and leaning back against the tree. Annabelle hadn't so much as looked at me since the other day's incident. Maybe she was angry with me or something. I had touched her shoulder, and she always disliked it when someone touched her.

I sneered redirecting my confusion to a more common emotion. She's probably spoiled; she had enough connections that Dumbledore personally tutored her to the point she was allowed to become a second year. Then there was that whole thing where she looks like a skeleton, and rich girls were usually the ones who were that thin. And, not to be stereotypical, but she has blonde hair and light eyes just like Narcissa and Lucius. Those two were both rich as royalty! She wouldn't get me anything back either, that leech.

It was a mistake to get her something. I took the parcel out of my robes and drew my arm back to chuck it in the lake, but noticed that it was frozen over. I nearly slapped myself, of course it was frozen it's almost Christmas in the dead of winter. I grumbled and stood up brushing off some snow before going to the common room again. Maybe I could dump it in the fireplace. I didn't calm down one bit when I had arrived in the room that was warm from the fire.

But as I was about to toss it in the hearth, a small meow came from besides me. A lean and little black cat had made its way to my feet and was playfully biting at my shoelaces. I realized it was Annabelle's pet and turned to the doorway to the girl's dormitories. Sure enough the blonde was huddled there.

"Hmm?" she asked pointing to the brown sack-wrapped parcel. I placed it back in my robes without being noticed.

"It’s nothing," I mumbled and knelt down to the fire. Annabelle's cat, Benvolio, cuddled into my leg. Annabelle walked up behind me and rocked back and forth on her heals.

"Hey, um, Severus...?" she squeaked and clunk her heals together gently. I kept my face straight as I stared at her. Nervousness emitted from her usually when around a lot of people, but not me. It was strange, and to be completely honest, irritated me more that I already was with her.

"Not ignoring me anymore?" I asked curtly and she knelt down next to me.

"I wasn't ignoring you," she said quietly and smiled like she didn't know what I was talking about. "I was just em….." she started off smiling but slowly started blushing harder and harder till she stopped talking all together and pulled her hair in front of her face. I smirked lightly and moved my body so I was facing her. Annabelle cuddled her cat into her stomach and took a deep breath standing up. "Merry Christmas Severus," she said cheerfully and pulled something from behind her back, holding it out to me. I looked up and saw a small box wrapped in black paper and a green bow tied around it. I looked from her to the package and she blushed making a reasonable sized smile. I reached out and took it carefully.

She got me a gift?

"Thanks," I mumbled, feeling absolutely baffled for words. Her smile grew as she jumped sitting down next to me. She nudged me a couple times and I snorted rolling my eyes starting to open it. I tore the paper (that had been designed carefully with silver pen drawings) off slowly and took the lid off the box inside. I knew my eyes were wide, but I pulled the black leather bound book out and stood up so I was taller than Annabelle again.

Annabelle's Point of View

Advanced Potions-Making lay in Severus’s hands and a smile, a genuine smile, crept its way onto his face as he looked back at me. It was the first time I'd seen him smile, especially such a happy one. It was worth the nine galleons it cost me to see it, he looked so much more handsome this way.

"What?" he asked looking at me with an eyebrow rose. I giggled and smiled greatly.

"You smiled," I said quietly and pulled on my hair again. "It's nice," I whispered blushing. Severus looked away trying to hide a growing smile and cleared his throat.

"How did you manage to get this?" he asked. I shrugged and dug my show in the carpet.

"Gave a friend the money to buy it for me," I smiled. It had cost me all the money I had saved up for that year, all 9 galleons, but it was worth it. It had made him so happy. Severus looked conflicted for a while. Then he pulled something out of his robes and held it out to me, it was the brow sack-wrapped parcel he was trying to put in the fire earlier.

"Here," he mumbled as I gently took it from him and ran my fingers over the small tag that said my name in black ink. Then a puzzled expression came over me and she looked at the fire.

Why would he try to throw this in the fire? I thought tilting my head and I heard Severus scoff lightly.

"Just take it," he said softly and I looked up to see him looking uncomfortable with my questionable glances. I nodded smiling as I undid the tape and sat down on the couch. It was a white hard covered book with a picture of a faceless woman against a tree with a raven in it by the shore. I couldn't believe it, it was an updated version of Poe's work with every single piece of work he's ever done in it, including short stories, poems, and even a biography of both him and his wife!

Severus’s Point of View

I was getting a little worried; Annabelle was staring blankly at the book I'd given her, even her smile had slipped off her face. Maybe she already had something like that. It's possible, my mum had given it to me a few years ago and it only looked new because I had never bothered to read it. She closed my eyes and pursed her lips.

"Are you ok?" I asked tentatively and before I could sit down next to her she sprung up from her seat and wrapped her arms around my neck. I stumbled back and kept my arms at my side as she took a deep breath into my shoulder.

"Thank you so much, Severus," she said merrily and sniffled as she hugged me tighter. I felt heat rise from my neck and color my ears and face cruelly as I hugged her back. "That's one of the nicest thing anyone's done for me." When she pulled away her eyes were gleaming and her lips formed the greatest smile. I looked the other way and smiled again slightly.

"Don't think it’s anything special, friends get friends things," I cast it off and she just laughed at me hugging me again. I could have sworn I heard her say something like 'friends' but then she pulled away from me quickly and blushed heavily. She mouthed a sorry and I shrugged running a hand through my hair.

Then she sat back down on the couch again and looked over every inch of the book, turning it over, running her hand over the spine and edges. She looked like a kid looking at a wand for the first time or someone who's seen their first chocolate frog. After that she patted the cushion next to her and smiled.

She is far too kind for her own good. I thought slumping down next to her and opened the cover to the hardback, listening to the small cracking sound that came with it being new. I think it was around two when we started reading, and we read in hushed silence with Benvolio's purring for the rest of the day. The potions were complex and intricate, much more appealing than ones I'd seen previously in my other book. Annabelle seemed to enjoy herself with the book as well; she had her eyelashes grazing the pages. I don't remember when we stopped; we probably fell asleep while reading.