Annabel Lee

Severus’s Point of View

I know my mouth was hanging slightly, boy why wouldn't it? Annabelle was going to be helping in the Hospital Wing?

"Are you alright dear?" Madame Pomfrey asked and Annabelle put her hand over my forehead. I nodded and sat up in bed. "Now why were you brought down her?" Oh dang it, that was what was going on.

"I was having lunch when Potter came over. He gave me a couple punches to the gut and I… got a little… sick on the floor," I mumbled the last part quite embarrassed and Annabelle covered her mouth with her hands with sad, wide eyes.

"Him again?" Madame Pomfrey sighed as she lifted my shirt and jumper to show two large purple bruises. "Well that explains these." My ears burned as I pulled my shirt noting Annabelle staring. She turned her head, blushing herself. Then a moaning came from the bed near the door.

"Ohhh, my arm."

"Oh dear, Mister Lipten don't irritate your broken arm! I'm sorry I'll be back in a moment, Miss Emaciare would you get me some bruise-healing paste? It's in the cupboard in the corner," she ordered. Annabelle nodded skipping over to the other end of the room and came back with a flat jar of yellow paste. In one twist she had the lid off and helped me sit up.

"Thanks," I said looking up at the side. Annabelle looked like a cat on hot bricks as she lifted up my shirt to check my bruised stomach. I shifted uneasily when she handed me the jar.

"Try not to use too much," she advised quietly as she turned her head to the side. I plastered the thick ointment on sparsely. We waited patiently while the agent dried. Annabelle timidly sat down on the edge of the bed and started pulling on her hair. I made a small attempt to strike up conversation.

"So this is where you went during Transfiguration?" My voice gave a small crack and she poured me another glass of water.

"Yes," she said warmly putting the glass in my hand. "Are you sure you're ok? What happened?" she questioned me placing a hand over the solidified goop. I made my face straight and nodded moving her hand away cautiously.

"I already told you, and I'm fine," I said in a quiet, exhausted voice, shooing away any comfort she was trying to send my way. She disregarded it and leaned back a little swinging her feet back and forth over the edge.

"The Marauders?" she asked. My head snapped her way. She sounded scared: to ask or what the answer was I didn’t know. I growled at her incompetence.

"I already told you: Black came over and tried to hit Regulus, I hexed him, and that prick-bastard Potter gave me two blows to the stomach. Are you deaf or just that dimwitted?" With those words darting from my mouth Annabelle jumped ever so slightly. I inwardly groaned and sighed rubbing the back of my head. "Look, I—"

"It's ok," she said softly and smiled cheerfully tapping the paste on my stomach with her wand. The plaster fell off in cracks onto the bed revealing my now bruise-less stomach. I brushed off my stomach and pulled my shirt down sluggishly getting off the bed.

"Miss Emaciare why don't you get your things together and then I'll talk to you about your hours here," Madame Pomfrey stated as she swept her way across the floor to us. Annabelle beamed softly and stood up. She mouthed a small 'thank you' and turned around walking around. About two steps into it she stumbled slightly and held her head walking in a crooked line. She was light headed again? This couldn't wait any longer.

"Ma'am?" I asked near silently as the nurse checked my temperature once more.

"Yes dear?" she asked absent mindedly not looking at me.

"I was wondering if you could check something for me about Annabelle…" I muttered shivering when she moved her hand away from my forehead and laughed lightly.

"And what would that be?" she asked and straightening out her robe-apron. I cleared my throat as I sat up and tried fixing up my lank hair.

"She looks rudy thin," I said under my breath, but loud enough for her to hear me; but, I scoffed covering up my concerned tone. "Or maybe it’s just me. Bones probing out of a girl's skin just doesn't seem that attractive," I snorted sarcastically and Madame Pomfrey bit her lip.

"Right, well," she stammered and then took a deep breath talking in a lighter voice, "I'll get her some help on that." I knew from how she spoke she had realized it before I had told her. Annabelle made her way back over and stood next to my cot. "Alright then Mister Snape you can go now," Madame Pomfrey said. Then she became aware of Annabelle's position next to me on the cot. "Now move along, go on." I sighed and got up.

"I'll wait outside," I told her and she nodded. I waited outside the door a minute or two before she came outside. "Come on dinner's going to be gone soon if you go any slower," I told her and she grinned happily reaching for my hand and gripped it in a friendly way.

"Thank you for waiting," her soft bell-chime voice rang.

Now I knew my pallid skin had acquired a red color.

I physically shook my head to get rid of it. I shrugged it off and turned my head as I started walking off, causing her to be dragged behind me until she caught up.

"I-It's not a problem," I mumbled rushing through the hallway way. Her hand holding gently onto my own, I couldn't help but feel how soft her skin was. I squeezed my hand back around hers discreetly just to make sure we were still holding hands her grip was so light.

"Severus?" Annabelle asked waving her spare hand in my face. I gripped it and stopped at the wall.

"How many times do I have to ask you to not do that?" I asked ticked. I saw a shiver run through her and she began to tremble. My chest had pressed up against her to the point where she had stopped breathing. "Never mind, what were you asking?" I asked quieting down and backed away from her. She closed her eyes regaining her composure. Then when she was done she looked at me, tired, as she retracted her hand from mine.

"I was wondering why you were red," she scuffed her black shoes on the floor as pulled on her oversized robe sleeve. I was taken a back slightly and looked down at her free hand. Dang it, I had to stop doing that to her. I knew I was naturally distant, even foul and sarcastic; but, I didn't have a right to wind her up every time she did something to unintentionally embarrass me. I was quiet for a minute before I reached out my hand and took her hand back.

"Let's just go." Annabelle was surprised and stared at me with her mouth gaping. I ignored it and walked a little slower to the grand hall. We sat down with the others at the table. I told them about Annabelle assisting Madame Pomfrey.

"That's great, but how will that fit into your schedule? What about classes?" Narcissa asked pouting. Maybe she was going to miss spending time with her?

"I'll do just a few hours on weekends," Annabelle fidgeted drinking a small sip of water. I ate some of the mashed potatoes and gravy while I watched them try and pull information from her. She managed to not talk by slowly eating her soup. It cheered me up a little to see her eating.

"Don't you two have a game tomorrow?" Narcissa asked Lucius and Regulus as she tried to fix a small imperfection in her pin straight hair. Regulus nodded as he chewed obnoxiously.

"Ches, apence Glyffambor," he spewed food everywhere and I hit him over the head.

"Ew, don't talk with your mouth open," Narcissa grimaced and Annabelle giggled quietly behind her hand. Regulus smiled at her and swallowed his food.

"Yes, against Gryffindor," he said laughing. "Finally we can wipe the smirk off those toerags' faces and beat them!" he cheered and Lucius high-fived him. I leered as most the Slytherin table started cheering to themselves about beating Gryffindor and making snide remarks.

"You always did know just how to wind up people," Narcissa said shaking her head and smirked. I chuckled slightly and when something hit me in the back of my head. I frowned and picked it up off the ground behind me. It was a crumpled up parchment.

"What's that?" Lucius asked, lifted his chin so his pointed features would look down on the paper. I shrugged impassively pulling the wrinkled paper into my lap. When I opened it, it was blank.

"There's nothing on it," Regulus complained and Lucius pulled him back so he wasn't over the table. It was obviously hidden with magic. I nearly scoffed at their idiocy and pulled out my wand placing it on the parchment.

"Aparecium," I whispered and the ink rose from what seemed under the surface of the page and appeared. It was an animated drawing of Potter beating me in the stomach like yesterday. Then after giving me two punches Lilly, who was standing next to him, would give him a kiss on the cheek. I felt my face fall as the picture replayed itself over again and then again while I gripped it harshly.

A small pressure leaned again my shoulder. Annabelle was leaning over while she sat next to me. She was looking at the parchment and then me with a look of pure pity.

"Well? What's on it?" Regulus asked impatiently and tried to reach over again. I snatched it up in my hand and shoved it in my pocket.

"Nothing," I said blandly and lowered my head. It was silent for a few seconds before Regulus snapped his fingers quickly.

"You saw right Annabelle? You'll tell us right?" he said cheekily. I didn't bother lifting my head, and moved my eyes over to Annabelle. She glanced at me for a moment and then went back to the group shaking her head and giggled softly. "Damn."

Narcissa's Point of View

"Well, I guess we better go, I have a huge essay for Astronomy," I said standing up and stretching. Annabelle looked up expectantly and I grinned motioning my hand in a 'come here' motion. "Let's go, I'll see you boys tomorrow," I grinned and kissed Lucius goodbye. Annabelle followed up behind me until she stood by my side. In our dormitory I got my Astronomy assignment out and plopped down on my bed. I started reading the two chapters I had to study before starting my paper.

I spent a half-hour trying to make sense of the fine print of the pages. Squinting my eyes hurt so I closed them lying down slowly to make sure I didn't spill the ink to my quill. Astronomy wasn't my best subject.

Seriously, who needs to learn about stars in the shape of a kitchen utensil anyways? I thought bitterly. Maybe I was only angry because everyone else in my family was named after a star and I wasn't. Andromeda had her one galaxy for Merlin's sake!

I rolled over on my side and looked over at Annabelle on her bed. She had her left hand turning pages in one of her book and occasionally paused to scratch down writing onto a worksheet. I watched her amused for a while; she would stick her tongue out and purse her lips whenever a hard problem would come up. When she finished she took a deep breath and smiled.

"Done, honey?" I said intentionally loud just to see her jump and clasp her hand tightly on her ink holder. I laughed and sat up as she nodded jadedly. "Uh my head, stupid Astrology," I moaned shutting my eyes again. I heard a shuffling and Annabelle sat down on the edge of my bed. I let her sit there; she was rather fond of being affectionate.

I closed my eyes and let my mind roam to different matters, like the Dark Lord. Lucius had been acquainted with him through his parents. He was supposed to get the dark mark soon, most likely at the end of the school year. I was worried about him, from what I've heard of the Dark Lord he was quite merciless in punishment, even when it came to his own followers.

Hours Later

I drifted in my dream like state for who knows how long and woke up when the room was pitch black in the room except for a small candle on my nightstand. I sat up pushed at my hair as I looked around for the clock. I leaned sideways and almost fell off the bed when I saw the time. Three A-bloody-M!

Dang it, now I still have to write my essay. I sighed pulling myself up and picked up my book from the edge of my bed. When I cracked it open two parchment papers fell out from the crease and into my lap. I don't remember finishing the paper. But when I lifted them up to the light neat lines of black cursive shone brilliantly.

That wasn't possible though, was it? I mean, the last thing I remember was Annabelle sitting on... the edge... of… my…

My face broke into an enormous smile. She wrote it for me?! I love this girl! And once I started reading it I saw it was actually really good, really well written. I looked over at Annabelle's bed and saw she was sleeping. I felt my happiness take over as I placed my things on my counter.

Annabelle, how in the world are you a Slytherin? I thought as I got undressed. When I got under the covers and blew out the candle I felt comfortable enough so that I could go back to sleep again. I tried to ignore the cries the hinges to our window were sounding across from me.

"Annabelle would you close the window?" I moaned and threw the covers over my head. The high whines continued and I grumped getting up. Annabelle was too far into sleep. My feet drug themselves across the carpet as I got to the glass and reached my hands out to grab the handle to the glass. Just as I almost got my hand past the window frame I felt my knuckled clink against glass.

The window's… closed? But then what's making the noises? I thought as it continued. I drudged my way around, following where it came from, and came over to Annabelle's bed. She was rolling around in her bed, making incoherent sound of horror. Only a few strings of words came out of her mouth that I could hear, and then after a short pause before it got quiet again. My body turned into a statue when I realized what was going on. It was Annabelle.

She was crying.

I bent down by her bed side and saw her damp face contorted with fear. But there were no tears; she was just moist with a translucent layer of sweat.

So she wasn't crying?

Still, it was shocking. Annabelle never seemed sad, so I'd never seen her sob (or even be upset for that matter). But she was frantic. She must have been having a nightmare, and I wanted to wake her up as soon as possible.

"Annabelle, wake up," I whispered but she didn't budge. "Come on, I said wake up" I said louder and touched her shoulder. I didn't expect her to freak out like the way she did.

"Don't. Please. Stop it. Please..."

I was a little frightened by it myself. I wanted to make her stop, but I also knew that I couldn't touch her without her becoming a nutter again. So I did the only thing I could do: I wrapped my arms around her while she was still lying down. She slowly stopped crying so that she was once again silent. Meanwhile, I rocked back and forth pushing her head into my shoulder. Once she was hushed she slid from my arms and drooped back onto her pillow.

I had a hard time getting to sleep, what kind of nightmare could she have had to make her like that. What could make her manic in her own slumber?