My Beautiful Annabel Lee
A/N: This is a one-shot Draco/Ginny fan fiction. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! I WOULD APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER (sighs) and I DO NOT OWN THE POEM ANNABEL LEE! It was written by a genius by the name of Edgar Allan Poe (sighs again). I wish I could write that good (Though I don't think I want to marry my 13 year old cousin...) :D.
The fire crackled and stirred. The flames hissed higher and higher. Thick black smoke fumed and drifted up into the hollow chimney. Glowing red embers fell from the fragile wood, and collected at the bottom. Sparks flew in different directions.
His gray-blue eyes scanned the fire. They seemed to be duller than they used to be. They never smiled, scowled, taunted, laughed, gleamed, or glistened. They were just dull, no emotion flowing threw them. He rocked back and forth on the cricked old rocking chair. His feet tapped the floor over and over as he continued to rock. His bright blonde hair flew in and out of his face, grayed slightly with age. It had been so long, yet he remembered her like it was yesterday.
The fire reminded him of her. Her beautiful red hair was like the burning flames. She was fiery, and seemed to melt him away, just like the fire burned the wood. But his fire had died out. It had gone away and the black pieces of the wood still lay at the bottom. They sat there, empty, wishing they could be crackling, and moving once again. But his fire had long since burned out, water thrown onto its burning, hissing flames.
He had loved her. Loved her like he had loved no other in his life. He treasured the moments he spent with her, her smile when she laughed, the way her eyes danced in the moonlight. And she had loved him too. They loved each other. Nothing could separate their young hearts. Nothing..
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know,
by the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought,
That to love and be loved by me.
I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was move than love,
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven,
coveted her and me.
Draco Malfoy clasped Ginny Weasley's hands tightly. He stroked her fiery red hair out of her beautiful green eyes. Moonlight shone down onto the lake in front of them. It glided smoothly along the still water, and shone through the dark, black trees that bordered one side of the lake in the distance. Images of water moving slowly reflected from Ginny's eyes as she stared at Draco.
His blonde hair shone brightly in the dark night. His gray-blue eyes came to life at the edge of the glistening water. They sparkled happily staring down into Ginny's face.
He always seemed to come to life around her, where around everyone else he seemed so dead, so cold. She warmed him up. It was like his cold, hard shell slowly melted away when she was around him. She loved that side of him. The good side. The one that was sweet and caring. The one that loved her.
He held both of Ginny's cold hands in his. Ginny felt a warm sensation spark up her body as his gentle, warm hands clutched around hers. It felt so right..
"It's so beautiful tonight," Ginny spoke quietly, her voice in a daze. This felt like a dream. Could anything actually be this perfect?
"Yeah," Draco spoke, while his eyes still remained on Ginny. She was beautiful in every way. Her wavy dark red hair flowed perfectly around her face. A light row of freckles dotted her cute, little nose. Her eyes were big and bright. Her long eyelashes extended upward. But the best part about her eyes were their color. A beautiful, bright, green. Inside the green, mixed streaks of blue, gray, and brown, all swirling together to make the most beautiful color. They captured your attention admittedly. It was like, once you began staring at them you couldn't stop. They sucked you in and checked you out. She could see right through anybody. Ginny's soul could be read just by looking into those long-lost green eyes. You could tell everything about her.
"Ginny, I have something I want to tell you," Draco began. It had been building up inside of him forever. He thought if he didn't get it out, his lips might explode with exasperation. The words haunted his lips every time he saw her gorgeous face. He loved everything about her, and he wanted her to know that.
"What?" Ginny asked, curiosity filling her voice. She was the most curious, nosey person ever. If she didn't know something, she must figure it out. That was one way she met Draco, snooping around trying to figure out what a sound was that was coming from the boy's lavatory. He had been crying alone in that bathroom. His blue-gray eyes smudged with heartbreak and sorrows. At first when she had discovered Draco crying, he had been angry. A Malfoy crying! That just wasn't right. Malfoy's weren't supposed to cry. But when you are faced with a rough decision of the family you only wish to be loving, and betraying the whole wizarding community, it was kind of hard. She had helped him through it each day, helped him try and make the right decisions. He still didn't know yet what he was going to do. All he wanted was to make Ginny happy, but if he didn't do what he was ordered, he would lose everything he had, including his own life.
"I-I- want you to know that.. That um.. That," Draco stuttered. Ugh! Why did this have to be so hard?
"Yes?" Ginny egged on.
"That I-That I- I love you Ginny." Draco let the words escape from his mouth. He wanted to tell her that so bad. To let her know that no matter what happened, he would always love her. Always.
"Draco, I love you too." Ginny whispered as she leaned in closer and closer. Soon her lips touched his, and they embraced hers. Her lips seemed to fit perfectly into his, as though it was meant to be. And on that night, by the lake down from Hogwarts, Ginny and Draco kissed. Kissed under the moonlight shining down on their young bodies. Kissed while the other students slept silently in their beds. Kissed as if they ever let go, ever stopped loving each other, that the world would end. Would just stop as if their love was what made it go around.
Ginny gave herself to Draco that night. She gave everything. She gave her heart, her soul, her feeling, and her life. She trusted him. Trusted him to catch her when she fell, to put her heart back together when it was broken, to love her forever and never give up on what they had. The strong love that they shared, the love that even the Weasley-Malfoy grudge could not keep apart, would always be there.
So, on that night, Ginny fell in love with Draco Malfoy. And he fell right back.
He still remembered everything about her. Every little thing she had done, had said, Every move she had made. He wanted to remember her for who she was then, and not who she became. Yes, he had still let the Death-Eaters in on that horrible night. But no, he had not killed Dumbledore, though he had watched the everlasting gleam leave the old man's eyes. Ginny had separated him from what he was supposed to be, a murderer, a death-eater. He never became any of those things. But as a matter of fact, was the total opposite. He had joined the good side. The one that fought Voldemort. The only reason he let the death-eaters inside Hogwarts in the first place was to save the one person in his family who loved him at all, his mother. She, and his father, had died in the war that happened later, but at that time he fought alongside Harry and the others. Voldemort had taken everything away from him that he had always longed for. Love. Compassion. Hope. Voldemort had taken it all away. Made his father obey his every will, made him an angry, bad person. Had persuaded him to treat Draco the way he had been treated. And had killed his mother. No, he would have never fought alongside Voldemort. Never. Not after all the heartbreak he had caused him.
His eyes sighed as they continued to watch the burning fire. Oh how he wished that his fire was ignited once more. That the greatest love he had once shared with that fiery girl, could return. Even if it was just for a little while. But no, Voldemort had taken that away from him too. Taken everything he loved away...
And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this Kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came,
and bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulcher,
In this kingdom by the sea.
The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me–
Yes!– that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.
Draco slowly opened up the door to room number 472 at St. Mungo's, the wizard hospital. It squeaked on its hinges as he creaked it open. He didn't want to look inside. He didn't want to see her. He didn't want to know what she looked like now. How the gleam in her once sparkling green eyes had vanished. How they did not reflect the usual happy images of the soul within her as they used to, but of the scared and horrible images she had seen. Her eyes no longer opened happily, bright-eyed and starry, but opened and gleamed and reflected the scared soul that deprived within her. No, he didn't want to remember that Ginny. He wanted to remember her as she was before the war, before everything that had happened. It had changed her. But how could it not? She had witnessed the death of Harry Potter. She has watched the green tint grow duller and duller in his eyes, able to do nothing, to move at all, because she was bound to a tree with invisible ropes. She had watched as he had slowly pointed his wand towards his head and muttered those two deathly words. And though it was necessary for him to die, since he was the last Horcrux, it was horrible to watch. It had scarred Ginny. She had never been the same. Seeing the bodies of her loving brother, who had died trying to save Harry, her hero, and her enemy had never left her eyes. It was buried, forever, in her soul.
Draco stepped inside the room. He strained back tears as he saw the familiar fiery red hair spread out against the hospital's white sheets. He stepped closer and closer to where she lay, as the St. Mungo's nurses around her scurried out of sight. He finally reached her bedside and looked down at what remained of his Ginny. The Ginny that he loved so much.
She didn't look human. Her eyes were shrunken in, and they stared up at Draco with agony and hurt. Her lips were shriveled up and discolored. Her once wavy red hair was frizzy and stuck out in different directions. Her face seemed hollow and empty. Her freckles stood out more against her pale, pale, face. No, This wasn't the Ginny Weasley he knew. This wasn't her. There must be some mistake. This wasn't Ginny..
"Draco," a raspy voice called out from somewhere deep inside Ginny. It took strength from within for her to get out words. It hurt to talk. Everything hurt. Her heart, her body, her soul, her life hurt. She just wanted to leave. She had to leave. There was no way she could be who she used to be. The young lively Ginny she once was.
It was her. It was Ginny. This was Ginny Weasley. Tears streamed from Draco's face as realization came over him. Malfoy's aren't supposed to cry. But Draco cried. He couldn't help but cry. Seeing Ginny like she was now, made him cry. He just wanted her back, wanted her to feel better.
Ginny sighed slightly. She could see the hurt in Draco's eyes as tears ran down his face. She wanted so bad to comfort him, to make him feel better, but she couldn't. He had been there with her when she had returned from the war. He did help in the war with her, but he hadn't seen what she had seen. The body of her loved ones, and the man who had taken them all away. He had stayed with her though, all through those nights that her fevers reached and climbed higher and higher, through those nights when she had shook in pain, not being able to control herself. He had helped her as she bore their child. He had been her strength. Her hope. He had helped her through everything. If it wasn't for him, Ginny wouldn't be here right now. She would have long taken her life away from her, only wanting all the pain to set free. He was her love. And she still loved him. She loved him always. She never could stop.
Guilt seeped through her body. She was causing him pain. This was her fault that tears were running down his pale cheeks. Her fault that his heart was broken. Her fault that he had to see her like this. She hadn't wanted him to see her, but she knew if she didn't see him now, she may never get the chance. She had to tell him she loved him one last time, and to make sure he told her daughter that too. She felt guilty for everything. She was leaving him, leaving her child, leaving them to take care of themselves. And why? Why was she leaving? Because she couldn't handle pain, even though Draco showed her more love than anyone could ever ask for? Because she couldn't forget and forgive, when all he had done was forgive her for all those times that she had screamed and let her pain out on him? Was it not unlikely, that for once it was a Malfoy showing love and kindness, and all she, a Weasley, could show was pain and regret? What did she regret exactly? Regret how Harry saved everyone? Had died for everyone's lives? Regret how she loved Draco?
NO, she told her herself firmly. She would never forget Draco. She would never regret Draco. She loved him, with a love that only he and she could understand. A love that was unbreakable, untouchable.
He couldn't take it. She was in so much pain, and he could do nothing about it. He just wanted to take her pain away, but he didn't want to see her leave. Was that wrong? To not want to see the one you love leave, when they were in so much pain? He wanted her to stay, to be painless with him forever, but he knew that would never happen. He just wanted her to be happy, and he knew she couldn't be happy in the hell she was in.
"Ginny," Draco spoke, his voice shaky. He gulped as he continued. "I-I didn't bring Cali here, I didn't think it was good for her to see this."
"I understand, I wouldn't want her to see me like this," Ginny croaked, her voice growing softer and softer.
"So, um, h-how are you doing?" Draco asked, trying to get away from the fact that she wasn't doing good at all. He didn't... he couldn't... why...
"Not so good, Draco. That's why I asked for you to come here. I-I can't hold on any longer Draco. I wanted you to know that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what all I've done to you." Ginny almost whispered. Draco had to lean in closer to hear.
"No! No, Ginny don't be sorry!" Draco spoke loudly, almost angrily, "You showed me love when all I had was hate. You pulled me out of my misery, Ginny. If it wasn't for you, there is no telling where I would be today. Ginny don't be sorry for anything. I should be thanking you." Tears fell from Draco's eyes. How could she say sorry? He should be saying sorry! For letting her get like this...
Ginny continued, as though reading his mind. "It's not your fault that I'm like this. I'm not strong enough to hold these images, these feelings, this anger towards things that aren't even there. Draco, I want to thank you too. Thank you for loving me. Holding me. Giving me my child. I want to thank you for all the things you have showed me. That, no matter how a person may seem, there is a little good in everyone. And not to judge people by their parents or appearances. You taught me a lesson Draco, that I will live with forever." She whispered, her voice fading faster and faster. Her heartbeat quickened.
"Ginny, please," Draco sobbed, his hand clutching hers. "Please.."
"I love you Draco," she whispered as her voice faded away. Her heartbeat stopped.
"I love you Ginny, don't leave, please!" Draco screamed and sobbed, clutching her hand tighter.
But it was to late, she was gone. She had left the pain, her beat up body, and her shriveled soul behind. She was finally gone.
"No! NO! Ginny, no! Please." Draco yelled pulling Ginny up out of her bed and wrapping his arms around her body, pulling her into a hug. He rubbed the back of her head, and kissed it. He rocked back and forth, as though he was holding a baby.
"Please...Come back..." He cried, tears falling onto the back of Ginny's hair. For a moment, he imaged him back at Hogwarts, holding Ginny in his arms like he had done so many times. Her body was warm and soft, her eyes shining once again. Her hands clutched his back as she gripped her arms around him. He imaged back before any of this had happened...back to when everything was perfect. But he soon returned to the hospital room. She was dead. Ginny was dead. She was cold, her eyes finally dull, no longer reflecting a soul, because that had died too. Her soul that had so wanted to break free had gone to heaven, and the one that was pained stayed behind. She was gone.
He cried. He put his head on the hospital sheets. He cried. He cried until he thought finally he had died. Finally he was pain-free. Cried until he couldn't cry anymore...
But our love it was stronger by far than the love,
of those who were older than we–
and many wiser than we–
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul form the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.
When she had left, she had took a part of him with her. Part of him is still in that hospital room, crying. Another part is still pretending that she is laying in bed beside him at night, or smiling and laughing as he held her warm hands. A part of him still dreamed and loved her. He never could get rid of that. No. Never. He was to in love with Ginny Weasley, that he could never forget her. And it was weird, that the love that no one expected, people from two opposite places, from two totally different worlds, could love each other like that. That no matter what tried to tear them apart they fought through it.It was a love that only he and she could understand. He would never forget that. He would never forget her smile, her personality, her laugh, her freckles. But most of all he would never forget her eyes, her beautiful, big green eyes. ..
Draco's thoughts were interrupted by a small voice. "Daddy?" a soft, squeaky voice spoke from behind him. He turned around in the chair and looked at his beautiful daughter. She had bright blonde hair, like his. It shone in the light of the fire as she walked closer to him. Draco looked into her eyes. She had her mother's eyes. They smiled up at him, and sparkled a brilliant green in the firelight. His heart melted on the spot, as his sweet little girl grabbed his hand. She pulled.
"I'm hungry! Let's eat something," she commanded. "She has her mother's temper too," Draco laughed to himself.
"Alright, baby, let's go,"he smiled, getting up out ut of the rocking chair and scooping his daughter into his arms. She was so small to be 5 years old. Draco and his daughter, Cali, ate together, talking and laughing. Draco looked back at the fire burning in the fireplace. He will never forget those beautiful green eyes...
For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams,
of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
and the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes,
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night tide, I lie down by the side,
Of my darling– my darling– my life and my bride,
In the sepulcher there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.
A/N:Did you like it? I hope so! Please remember to just click that beautiful GO button at the bottom... you know you want to ; ) (watches as the readers arrow moves towards GO button) (smiles widely) hehehe...