Chapter four is revised and up, I hope you guys like it.
Updated: 04/12/2013

Chapter IV – I like to read too

Anne and Jon sat on the library; the young man was reading a book about sword fighting while the young woman read one about ancient creatures. Once in a while they would catch glimpses of the other staring and would smile before turning the attention back to the book.

Ghost slept at Jon's foot, he had been living there for two weeks now and it was really impressive how big these amazing creatures got in so short time.

"Jon…" Anne called and he raised his head right away. "Yes?"

"If you are bored, you can go… I'll meet you at dinner." She said, smiling gently. It was already night and the candles lightened the place filled with the most incredible books she had ever seen. The library on her house was basically nothing if compared to this one.

"I am fine. I like to read sometimes." He said, putting the book down on the small table in front of him, he looked at the girl on the other side of the room. "But you prefer to fight."

"Truth, but that doesn't mean I don't like to read. Besides, here I have your company." Anne moved slightly, trying to hide the blush on her face. "Alright then. But if you die from boredom, do not come back to haunt me."

"I swear I won't come back to haunt you, I will just watch you sleep." She blushed even more deeply. "You mean: Watch me snore." He laughed at her comment, his eyes traveling to her lips, she was smiling.

The last few weeks she had been there Jon felt something he never did before. His heart would race when he saw her, when she smiled at him he would feel his cheeks becoming hot and he had the urge to touch her hair to see how soft it was and to caress her face.

That moment was no different. She was there, smiling and laughing with him and his eyes just couldn't leave her small red lips. They curved into a smile, a smile he only saw when she was with him.

He saw Anne get up and walk to a nearby shelf, her fingers running through the many books and she looked up to read the names of the ones on the top. She seemed to be so delighted and comfortable; he had stared at her almost the whole time they were on the library, noticing her eyes shining while passing letter to letter on the so many books she had read and how her expressions changed according to what happened in the story and how she bit her lips in anxiety.

The short girl tried to reach the top shelf but couldn't, her fingers only brushed in the cover and she couldn't grab the book she had her eyes on and she stumbled slightly trying to keep her balance as she stood on the tip of her toes. After seconds trying, she felt something hard and warm touch her back and an arm raised and reached the book she wanted.

"This one?" Jon asked, not moving from behind her, his chest pressed against her back and she felt his breath near her ear. Anne's breathing became really heavy and her heart was beating out of control.

"Y-Yes, thank you." Hesitantly she turned her head to look at him, her face completely red and hot, she hoped he couldn't see her embarrassment. Jon didn't move for many seconds, his chest moving quickly against her back until he finally stepped back after handing her the book.

Anne sat back on her chair, trying to control the hotness on her face and the rhythm of her heart. Her hands shakily opened the book, searching for a distraction, she looked at the book in her hands and begun reading, the words not quite making sense in her head as she lacked attention.

It was getting colder and the girl moved on her chair, trying to be warmer. "Are you cold?" Jon asked, breaking the silence that had installed after he picked her book more than thirty minutes ago.

"A little, yes…" She answered, shrinking against the chair. The young man stood up and sat next to her, taking his coat off and putting it over her shoulders, his fingers brushed on her hair for a second. "That way you will be cold, Jon." She said, looking at him.

"I will be fine, I am used to the cold, you are not." He said gently, a small smile appearing on his lips. "At least stay close, that way you won't freeze to death so soon." Anne said and Jon moved a little closer, his arm touching hers.

"What are you reading?" He asked, looking at the book. "I read that direwolves can bond magically with wargs and I wanted to know more about them. They are skinchangers and have the ability to enter an animal's mind."

"It sounds interesting." He got the book from her hands, reading the page she was on. "Hey, give it back!" Anne yelled, trying to grab the book, but he just pulled his arm away from her, laughing.

"Sorry, I cannot do that." The young woman moved closer to him, trying to reach for the book, but his arm was longer than hers. "Give it back, Jon!"

Jon stood up and raised his arm up above, beyond her reach. Anne followed, getting up and jumping to try to reach his hand. "Jooon!"

He was laughing whole-heartedly, while she struggled to keep the smile away from her face and did her best to frown, what only caused him to laugh even harder.

After one higher jump, Anne's hand finally managed to catch Jon's wrist, but he was stronger and she only tripped forward and into his body, the young man only took one step back and held her against his body so she wouldn't fall.

They weren't laughing anymore and slowly the smiles disappeared. Jon's hand was on her waist and Anne still held his wrist while her other hand leaned against his chest, their faces were so close they could almost feel each other breaths.

The young woman's eyes looked right into his stormy gray and her heart was beating really fast, he moved a little closer and her cheeks burned from how hot they were. He was getting even closer and Anne closed her eyes really slowly… Then Ghost barked.

The couple jumped apart, blushing furiously and not looking at each other, they heard footsteps on the corridor outside the library and Robb appeared on the door. "Hey, dinner is ready. Father asked me to tell you."

"Thank you, My Lord." Anne said, but she still felt the blush on her cheeks. "Your book…" Jon said, handing her the book before he rushed out of the library.

That night he did not attend dinner with the others and Anne felt extremely sad because of it, but decided to just pretend it didn't bother her.

"Anne, where is Jon?" Lord Stark asked during dinner and she saw Lady Stark scowl. "I do not know, My Lord. I think he wasn't hungry." She smiled while looking at the man, he smiled back.

"My Lord… After dinner, may I speak privately with you?" She asked and he nodded his head gently.

They waited until everyone excused themselves so they could speak alone. "What is it, my dear?" He asked. "I am worried… About the King's visit. What if he or the Lannisters speak about my stay here?"

"Do not worry; you will not be harmed while you are in Winterfell." Eddard said with conviction and authority, she could easily see why he had become the Lord of Winterfell. He was kind and screamed honor.

"Thank you, My Lord. If you may excuse me." She bowed slightly after getting up and left to her room.

"My Lady." Anne heard someone calling and turned to see Robb Stark coming her way. "My Lord." She greeted him and he smiled gently.

"Are you going to your room?" Anne hadn't spent much time alone with the older Stark, his aura was really gentle, but her shyness was bigger. "No, actually I was going for a walk outside."

"May I keep you company?" He motioned the door and they both walked outside, feeling the cool air on their faces. Anne saw that she was still wearing Jon's coat and smiled to herself, his smell was all over the piece of cloth and she hid her nose on it.

"Are you looking forward to seeing the King, My Lord?" She asked while they walked side by side. "Not really. I heard a lot of awful things about them, especially the Lannisters, we are not exactly best friends."

"I see, well… I can assure you I am not thrilled as well. But your father seems to be good friends with the King." They were just walking with no specific direction or destination. "Yes, they are. They fought together when they were young."

"Jon told me you won a direwolf too. It's been two weeks and I haven't seen yours. What is his name?" She looked at him, smiling gently. "His name is Grey Wind, I can call him now if you want."

"There is no need, My Lord, tomorrow you can show me, it is getting late and I need to return Jon's coat. Do you know where he is?" She breathed deeply, once again smelling Jon's scent. "You have become really good friends with Jon, I am happy to see it, he never had many friends. I suppose he is in his bedroom, make sure my mother doesn't see you, she could get the wrong idea."

Anne was thankful for his advice and she could tell he was really a good man. "Thank you, My Lord." She bowed when they reached the Great Keep and then parted ways.

Jon's bedroom was far from Robb's and the rest of the Starks, which she was really grateful for. Anne knocked on the door gently one time and answer came right away. "Yes?"

"It's Anne." She wasn't sure if he was going to answer or open the door, seeing that he had missed dinner and she feared he was angry with her, but the door opened and he looked at her, smiling.

"You missed dinner…" She muttered, looking down to the ground. "I wasn't hungry and didn't want to upset Lady Stark… Come in." He made way so she could get inside and she did, sitting on the floor next to Ghost by his bed.

"I came to return your coat." She took it off of her shoulders and put on the bed, but not before breathing deeply once more, for some reason she really liked his smell.

"You could have waited until tomorrow, it's late now…" He asked, watching her from the door. "I was walking with Robb outside, I didn't know it was already late, I am sorry if I woke you up…"

Ghost cuddled on her legs and she caressed his fur. Jon felt a strange feeling inside him, she had been with Robb, alone and that made him really angry. Trying to hide his feelings, Jon sat on the bed, near them, just watching, not sure what or if he should say anything, several thoughts of what she was doing with Robb running wild on his mind, none were to his liking.

He could still feel her breath on his face and having Anne sitting right there not more than inches away from him was enough to make the memory even more vivid and his heart race.

She laughed when Ghost licked her face, his direwolf had grown fond of her and so did he, she was his friend and he knew that his feelings were becoming more than just mere friendship. It scared him, it was new and so unknown.

"Jon…?" She called, pulling him out of his thoughts into reality. "Yes?"

"I called you before, but you didn't hear… I said I am going to bed and then I joked that I was going to take Ghost with me, to keep me warm…" Her voice was quiet and shy, he loved her shyness.

"Sorry, can't do. He keeps me warm at night." He joked, smiling. "Then I guess I will just ask Grey Wind or Bran's." She said, innocently, one finger touching the tip of her chin. But Jon didn't like it, Grey Wind was Robb's direwolf, since when did she become friends with Robb? His half-brother's name sounded poisonous in his mind in this moment and he couldn't understand why he was so angry.

"You can have Ghost." I said loudly and Anne smiled happily at him. "Really?!"

"Really!" Jon said, nodding several times. The young woman felt really happy and without thinking, hugged her friend strongly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Jon didn't know how to react, but slowly hugged her back, bringing her small body toward him and hiding his face on her black hair, it smelled like fresh flowers.

"Jon…" She called, not moving at all, he mumbled in response. "You are my friend, right?" He blinked in confusion, where was this talk going? "I am."

"And friends protect and do things for each other…" She moved her face really slightly against his chest, now being able to hear his heart beating fast. "Yes, that's right."

"So if I asked you something, would you do it for me…?" He looked down to her, not fully understanding what she meant, did she need anything? She needed protection? It didn't matter. Jon touched the back of her head, pressing her body protectively against his. "Anything."

"Thank you, Jon…"

Ghost came to them, rubbing his body against her legs to call for attention. Laughing, Anne backed away a little, breaking their hug and forcing Jon to retreat his arms. The youngsters looked down and the direwolf whined, still calling for attention. "Looks like someone is jealous." Jon said, smiling.

The woman kneeled down and picked Ghost up, he still was easy to carry. "I guess I found myself a lover." She joked when the pup licked her face.

Not only one… Jon couldn't help but think.

"Are you sure I can bring him with me?" She asked from the door, still with the pup on her arms. "Yes, you can. You will take good care of him, I am sure." Anne smiled at his comment, blushing slightly.

He made her blush so easily, not only blush, her heart quickened, her breathing became heavy, and it all so easily. She had never felt like that before with anyone else, friends aren't supposed to make you feel like that, were they? Perhaps she wanted them to become something more than just friends…

She was staring at him from the door, lost in the storm that were his eyes, a tone of gray she was so much attracted to and felt lost every time she looked inside them.

"Well… Hm… Goodnight…" Anne said gently and approached Jon, standing on the tip of her toes to kiss him on the cheek. He turned his face a little, almost brushing his lips on hers and he hoped she hadn't noticed this accident.

"Goodnight, Anne…" Jon whispered once she got outside the room and watched her leave before closing the door.

Anne heart was almost escaping her chest from how fast it was beating. She had noticed that his lips were so close to hers and felt almost disappointed that they only got near and nothing more.

She looked at Ghost, the pup sleeping on her arms and smiled to herself. He reminded her so much of Jon. And that night, she slept hugging the direwolf, but in her mind, she imagined it was someone else.