A/N: Okay, so pretty much here is an explanation of why this was not posted yesterday. 1) I had writer's block. 2) Major thunderstorms in the area that I live in kept knocking out the damn power, so I had no way to post this chapter, and last but not least. 3) Severus Snape is a really difficult character to write when you are struggling to not shove him into the dread realm of being OOC. And as always I do not own, HP, just any OCS and some of this story plot. -MOTH

Chapter 7

The Owlery was full of hooting messenger owls, feathers, and bird excrement. Some of them were sleeping, some hardly had their eyes open, and some just continued on with their hooting. Annette sighed as she gave the owl she had selected, the letter she had written to her parents. It was a barn owl, and it was adorable, how she wished that it was her own, but her parents could not afford to buy her one. Annette watched as the owl took flight and into the open sky, as she put her gloves back over her now cold hands, and rewrapped her scarf around her neck. She let out a sigh, which only warmed up her cheeks and nose, as she made her way down the narrow and tightly winding staircase, and toward the greenhouse were she was meeting Jenna, to help her water all the plants, not only in one greenhouse but all of them. With Professor Sprout sick with a nasty cold, somebody had to make sure none of the foliage died. Annette was doing this for her love of plants; Jenna was doing for the extra credit that Professor Sprout had offered up. The fifth-year Hufflepuff lugged a watering can into the greenhouse were her House's Prefect already was. She was busily watering each pot as carefully as possible, especially around the fanged geraniums.

As Annette began to water a different section, the unopened letter in her pocket crinkled, as if demanding her to open it. It was letter from her parents, announcing her eldest and only brother, who had graduated the year before Annette become a fifth-year, Quinn's engagement to a young and attractive witch, who worked as a Curse Breaker. Her brother on the other hand had followed in their father's footsteps, and had become a part of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. Her mother was a Medi-Witch. And just like both their parents, Quinn had graduated out of Hogwarts from Ravenclaw House. He was two years older than Annette, and had a brain maybe even the famous Muggle, Einstein would be jealous of.

Her parents just did not understand, her brother being the firstborn had gotten everything that they had to offer first, when Annette was born, she swore she got whatever was left over. She did not have beauty or brains. They were expecting far too much from her, she would not be graduating top of her House like Quinn did, she would not be joining either the Medical or Law Enforcement careers, instead what she wanted to do, was to become a Magizoologist or a Herbologist, or perhaps even both, something that she could become on her own. Annette hefted the watering can once more and continued to water the plants, they only had two more greenhouses to go after this, and then they could start working on their Potions assignment, which was due tomorrow.

After a quick shower, Annette made her way down into the commons room of the Hufflepuff dorm, in her pajamas, in order to sip at some tea and check her Potions essay for any errors before going to bed. Jenna had already finished hers, and was busy enjoying the perks of being a Prefect, by soaking in the massive bath. She smiled a little, her essay did not have any errors in it and thanks to Severus for double-checking it over lunch, ignoring the laughter from the Marauders and the stares from their own Houses, and he had proved that her essay was a good one. With a flick of her wand, she watched the parchment scrolled itself up; she even charmed it with none-crinkling charm for when she would be carrying in her satchel tomorrow. Annette glanced down at her satchel, the unopened letter had been moved from her school robes and into one of the side-pockets, and she had not even bothered to unseal the wax that held the letter inside its envelope.

Sighing, Annette returned to sleeping quarters and changed back into her jumper, tie, skirt, and stockings before pulling on her robes once more, and shuffling her feet back into her shoes. With her satchel swung over her shoulder, and the slightly darkened corridor illuminated from the light coming from the tip of wand. She made her way into the library, to see that the place was quiet as usual, students were scattered around the tables, either from Gryffindor or Ravenclaw, and some of Annette's fellow fifth year Hufflepuffs. There was even a couple of Slytherins. One she recognized right away as Severus Snape, the other had blonde hair and icy blue eyes; it had to be Lucius Malfoy.

Annette found a quiet place for herself to sit, and took out the letter from who she thought was from her parents. Instead, it was from her brother Quinn. She struggled to not let out a groan of annoyance as she flicked her wand in order to remove enough of the wax to get the letter out. It was written in her brother's usual messy handwriting, wishing her the best of luck on her O.W.L.s. at the end of the semester, and the name of his bride to be finally came to light, Lan Kwan, her parents had immigrated from China, and Lan was born in England, but was still fluent in Chinese. Her brother had same drab olive green eyes as his little sister, but his hair was more a light caramel like their mother's, he was built like barge like their father. Broad shoulders and chest, and a grin that make any woman swoon. His bride-to-be was willowy and lithe, as beautiful as a doll with long ink black hair and eyes the color of the ocean on stormy day, grey and daunting, as if one could get lost in them. The picture moved, both people waving and grinning, and then Lan put her hand over mouth, a soundless giggle as Quinn whispered something in her ear.

The fifth-year Hufflepuff tucked the picture back in with the letter, and then put both in the envelope. She tucked it back into the pocket of her satchel, and made to stand, moving the chair back as quietly as possible. She was about to make her way into the hallway when a she felt a hand grasp her shoulder, she glanced over her shoulder, to see Severus Snape looking back at her. Annette's wand was once again illuminated at the tip, she gently removed Severus's hand from her shoulder and turned to face him.

"I don't need any help with Potions, Severus. I'm fine, for now." Her voice was nothing but a whisper.

Severus's eyes became downcast as he stared at his own shoes for a moment before looking back up at the girl he was tutoring in Potions, "That's not the reason, why I stopped you. I wanted to walk you back to your dorm, you shouldn't be walking in these corridors alone, and the staircases can be tricky."

Annette blinked at him for several moments, trying to figure out what he was saying. "Are you saying that you care about my wellbeing, Severus?"

The fifth-year male Slytherin's face flushed pink for a moment, "Perhaps." But the way he said it was stiff and cold, like he was made out of an icicle.

Annette shrugged it off, and began to walk back to the Hufflepuff dorm. Her fingers were slightly tangled into the black fabric of Severus's sleeve. Both of their wands were now lit with the lumos spell as they made their way back toward the kitchens.

"Did you really jelly-finger jinx Sirius Black?" Severus questioned in a hushed tone.

Annette's face began to burn red with embarrassment. The answer came out in a nervous whisper, "Yes."

"Why did you do it?" Severus could not help wanting to know, and also did not help that somewhere in his cold exterior, he was somewhat proud of the fact that Sirius had mistaken her, this skinny, plant and magical beast obsessed, slightly quirky, and maybe even possibly adorable Hufflepuff, was his girlfriend.

"Because what he did to you, was downright cruel, and the jelly-finger jinx was the only one I could of think of at the moment. Next time, he might not be so lucky, maybe I'll send a bunch of Fwoopers at him." Annette grinned.

Severus shook his head, trying to conceal his laughter, but the smile on his face did not help him in the least, "Annette, if you ever did that, you would be sending Black to Saint Mungo's and to the insanity wing."

"True, I guess I shouldn't be that cruel, to the bloody idiot." When she turned to look at where they were, they were standing in front of the barrels that would lead to the Hufflepuff commons room.

Before she could react, Severus had tucked a stray a lock of her copper hair behind her ear, and had ever so slightly brushed a kiss to her cheek. Annette stared at him, dumfounded. "Why did you…?"

Severus shrugged, "It was nothing but a simple recuperation of the affection, I received from you, the day before." And with that he turned on his heel, and disappeared down the hallway.

It took Annette a few moments to gather her wits, as she tapped out 'Helga Hufflepuff' on to the barrels with her wand, and made her way inside the commons room, she made her way up the stairs and to her sleeping quarters. She quickly changed out of her robes and the clothes underneath, and into her nightwear. A gown that was soft and warm, and felt like a lamb's wool, with a badger sewed in on the front by her own mother. Annette, turned the lamps wick down low enough that the flame went out. She could feel that her cheeks were still red, but deep-down in her heart, she knew that Severus did not love her, possibly could not, not the way that he felt toward Lily Evans. She turned over and buried herself underneath the covers of her bed, and tried her best not to think about Severus Snape, and his smile, and how his lips had felt against her cheek for just those mere seconds.