Chapter 3: Unsuspected
Annie's chocolate brown eyes slid open in slow motion, she could almost feel how swollen they were from her tears. She sat up in the hospital bed, the rough sheets scratching at her bear arms since her robes were on the hook next to her. Madame Pomfrey looked away from the grieving student who continued to spew slugs from his lips into a bucket, grimacing every few seconds.
"Ah Annie dear, good to see you awake," she said with a warm almost motherly smile as she rubbed the boys back. Annie gave her a slight smile, the silence that carried her into sleep still laying over her. "There's only one class left before school ends… you're free to attend if you wish or you may return to your houses common room." Annie nodded in thanks, pulling her robes down from the hook and pulling them closed around her like a shell. After grabbing her books she headed out of the hospital wing and down the hallway toward the potions room.
She wasn't quite sure why she was deciding to go to class when she knew right well that Malfoy was in that class with her. She didn't know how she'd handle his wandering gaze and his snide comments with snickers that followed. Her feet continued to carry her toward the room as students milled around, pushing past each other toward rooms and toward the staircase. Annie slowly entered the potions room, taking her seat next to Neville who smiled warmly at her. She gave him a half-hearted smile while opening her textbook to the required page.
"You weren't in herbology, you missed her quiz…" Neville whispered as Snape entered the room, his eyes wandering over each student before his coal black eyes rested on Annie. He looked behind her where Draco sat, staring at the back of her head. Severus picked up a textbook from his desk and walked past Annie to Draco who was still staring and dropped the textbook right on his desk, causing a loud bang to erupt throughout the room. Draco jumped, causing the fog in his eyes to disappear as he turned his head to look straight into the dead eyes of Severus Snape.
"Eyes on your book Malfoy," he said dryly, his face set in a permanent scowl as he picked the textbook back up before turning on his heels and walking back to the front of the room. "Today you will be creating the draught of living death. This potion is not permitted to leave this classroom, attempt to do so will result in immediate punishment. In your textbook is everything you will need to create this potion. Partner up and get to work."
Annie opened her textbook to the page written on the black board, her delicate fingers still shaking slightly as she picked up the Sopophorus beans as Neville took the knife to one, causing it to fly out from under the blade and his fingertips, aiming right for Annie's eye but her hand snapped up quickly, catching the bean before it made contact with her milky white skin.
"Sorry Annie!" Neville exclaimed, a hand running through his hair nervously. Annie dismissed it with a wave of her petite hand before taking the bean and instead of cutting it, crushed it with the knives blade. More beans flew around the room as Annie squeezed the juice out of the bean and into the cauldron. Annie continued to do this until 13 beans juices were entered into the cauldron. "Annie the book says to use 12." Once again Annie dismissed her partners quarrel with a wave of her hand and continued to add ingredients to the cauldron.
While Annie was engrossed in her work with Neville just handing her the things she pointed at Severus was watching her closely. He watched her crush the bean instead of cut it, one of the techniques he used when he was in potions class. He continued to watch her create the Draught of Living Death just as he would back when he was a student, just as he wrote in his textbook those many years ago. She knew more than she let on, at least in Severus' mind.
"Annie?" Neville whispered as she put the last ingredient into the cauldron. She looked over at him, one tight copper curl falling out of the bun she tied her hair up into due to potions protocol and into her face. "What's wrong? You aren't speaking…" Annie sighed slightly, pushing the curl back behind her ear as she grabbed a piece of parchment from the edge of her desk along with her quill. She scrawled quickly over the piece of parchment before handing it to Neville then raising her hand to get a check on their potion.
It all seemed to happen in slow motion, the parchment dropped out of Neville's hands as his body turned. Then suddenly Draco was on the ground, Neville on top of him, shrieking like a girl. Neville's fist connected with his face a few times before Snape grabbed him by his robe collar, dragging him off by the scruff of his neck just like a cat. Neville's whole body shook as he muttered curses under his breath. Draco curled into himself on the ground as he writhed on the floor, whining and gripping his face in between his hands.
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Annie walked into the dining hall silently, her tight copper curls bouncing as she walked down the aisle and to the least crowded part of the Slytherin table. She sat and ate in silence as everyone gave her weird stares as the whispered quick words. "She's the one? Yeah Draco seems to fancy her but she's not interested." Annie kept her gaze forward, ignoring the words that spun around her, threatening to take her down again and into the sea of sadness. Suddenly the Gryffindor table burst into applause and cheers. Neville sauntered down the aisle and sat next to Ron Weasley who clamped him on the back.
Annie listened intently to their conversation, awaiting her name to be brought up in the jumble of woops and cheers. "Decked him right in the face you did!" Ron cheered his long red hair flying in front of his eyes. "I've never heard a guy shriek like that before."
Neville smiled broadly as his fellow classmates congratulated him with woops and cheers. Annie sighed slightly and put her food down, her stomach no longer yearning for any type of substance to stop its growling. After a second of staring blankly forward at it she stood from her seat and turned on her heels, ready to leave the dining hall for the comfort of her bed.
"Annie! Wait!" Neville yelled, standing from his perch on the bench causing the crowd of people around him to disperse slightly. Annie stopped and looked behind her at him, her large brown eyes questioning. Neville pushed his way out of the crowd, stumbling until he reached her and he grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the dining halls exit.
Once in the hallway, Neville smiled at her slightly and Annie gave a small smile in return. "Are you okay?" he asked and she nodded slowly causing her curls to bounce forward into her face. "Still not talking?" He asked his eyes tinged with a slight concern. She shrugged slightly, her petite shoulders rising slightly in a response. He watched her for a moment with a heavy gaze trying to build up the confidence he had just a moment ago.
"Thank you…" Annie whispered, leveling her chocolate brown eyes with his. "For… standing up for me… most wouldn't go up against Draco Malfoy for some girl like me especially when she's in Slytherin." She smiled slightly at him, the corners of her mouth twitching lightly. Neville shook his head slightly as he placed his hands on her forearms and stared down at her.
"Which house you're in doesn't mean anything Annie. Your personality is what catches people's eyes. A girl like you smart, talented, kind and so much more and just because you happen to be in Slytherin doesn't take away from how amazing you are on the inside and out." Neville took a deep breath as Annie stood there bewildered. His words were too kind she decided; he was just saying that to make her feel better after her traumatizing experience. She, in return to his too kind words, smiled at him though it was halfhearted.
"Thanks Neville, you're too kind," she whispered, her eyes soft. Neville shook his head again as the grip on her forearms tightened slightly. He's confidence reignited as he took a deep breath, staring into her deep brown eyes, like melted chocolate under the hot sun.
"Annie I wanted to ask you if you'd… go on a date with me…" Neville asked, the confidence quickly depleting as he continued to get lost in her gaze. Annie's own eyes widened in surprise at his question, her eyebrows shooting up into two perfect arches.
"I… I don't understand…" Annie whispered dumbly, causing Neville's face to fall. Her seeing this caused her to bang her palm against her forehead. "No, no! I just… ugh I'm sorry!" Annie threw her hands over her face before turning down the hallway and disappearing around the corner.
She couldn't do anything right today it seemed, she almost got raped, couldn't hold herself together in front of her teachers, and hurt Neville unintentionally.
"Annie! Annie wait!" Neville yelled causing Annie to whip her head back to look behind her, causing her copper curls to swirl about her face, flying slightly into her eyes. She slowed her run down to a walk, not wanting to hurt the Gryffindor boy once more. That was the last thing she wanted to do… again anyway. It took a few moments for him to catch up to her leisurely stride that she had created at the sound of her name. He took light hold of her arm, pulling her walk to a halt.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, I shouldn't have asked after… everything that happened today…" Neville let out a deep sigh before running his hand through his hair nervously.
"No Neville it's not that… it's just I think you could find someone a lot better than me, in fact I know you can," She whispered with a slight shake of her head, her curls never stilled as they continued to bounce about her face like feet on a trampoline.
She watched as Neville shook his head, his blue eyes dancing with questions as he stared deeply into her eyes.
"There's no one better than you."