Drying in the rain

Visions Of Anna

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts;" ~ William Shakespeare

"Severus?" Anna called out as she entered his office, placing her bags down she looked about the room, searching for her professor. "Sev?" She turned the corner, trying to listen in she put her ear against his bedroom door.
"You must go my assistant is back...." she heard him mumble.
"Fine, that was fun Severus, I've missed our time together." She heard a woman laugh.
"Cissi we both know what that was. I will see you later tonight." He grumbled as a loud crackle came from the woman apparating.
Anna quickly ran back to the small sofa in the middle of the room, acting as if she'd heard absolutely nothing. Severus turned his doorknob, finishing up his last button he entered, his face full of shame as he looked into Anna's doe eyes.
"Anna, you should get ready for tonight." He hissed as he strolled over to his kitchenette, grabbing a chalice and filling it with dark roast.
"I don't have a dress or anything to wear, we were going to go to hogsmeade remember?" Explained Anna. She didn't know why she was so furious with him, well she did know, but she wouldn't want to confess as to why.
"Right. Well then get yourself a coat."
"Why don't we aparate?" She said as condescendingly as she could, Severus almost spit out his coffee.
"Fine. But first my coffee." He insisted as Anna patiently waited for him to finish up his drink.

After an hour and a half Severus and Anna appeared in front of Milligan's dress shoppe, a brightly lit clothing store reserved for the finest fabrics, prints and designs. Anna felt awkward here in this store, she was used to her local tourist shops and chain stores but never anything as riveting as this. She knew Severus must've been crawling under his skin as well, he seemed to only have about four outfits from what she'd seen, each of them black and reserved. She couldn't help wondering what his physique was like, if he was a skeleton or if perhaps he was built and muscular. She could always see his muscles slightly through his tight fit dress suit.
"Anna!" Severus shouted as she stood blankly in thought. "Anna! This is the third time I have called your name!" He roared as she finally regained her attention back to him.
"My apologies I was just thinking. Will you come in with me?" She asked, her eyes stealing the black from his as he begrudgingly agreed.
"Find something you like, and get your Yule hall gown while you're at it. It's on me so do be frugal." He snapped as he sat down upon a soft white waiting seat. He looked to his left and right, slyly pulling out his copy of the daily prophet.

As Anna scanned the dresses she found a simple laced black dress, it slightly showed off her chest but not enough so that it was inappropriate.
As she sunk into the dressing room and placed it over herself she quickly felt defeated. She had never worn such an elegant cocktail dress. It was an odd feeling for her, one she was excited to have but looking at herself in the mirror with it on she found so many flaws she hadn't seen before. Her freckles protruded out from her nose and cheeks, her underarms created a small band of fat where her breasts began that leaked out from the straps of the dress. She sucked in her stomach as best she could, but still that small lump of her organs filled her heart with despair. She hadn't really felt this before, of course she'd look at herself funny when she'd go off to surf or swim in the bay but now? Now who was she trying to impress? Herself or others or perhaps even Severus. He seemed so unamused being here, as if it were the worst burden he'd ever had to experience. And the time, the time was running out. She'd have to chose this one. If only Evan was there she thought, he'd always be there to hype her up and bring her back some confidence.
"Are you nearly finished in there?" Severus hissed through the door, she sighed looking herself over once more. She hated her height her weight her hair her lips her everything.
"I'm coming just a second." She responded, sucking in once more she turned the knob to the dressing room and presented herself to Severus. "I'm sorry I took so long, I picked my gown for the Yule ball so don't worry about that and I'm paying for that at least but I'm sorry and-" she continued until he placed his finger to his mouth silencing her.
"Anna, you look stunning. Absolutely breathtaking. Now let's pay and get out of here." He said. It was a simple statement. There was so much more he wished to say, that she was beautiful, that she was the most gorgeous sight his sinful eyes had ever seen. That out of all he'd ever known or ever know was that right in this instance he was ever more in love with her.
"Thank you." She mumbled, it was a simple statement, one that meant so much but not enough. She didn't know whether he truly meant it or just wanted out of the store. Either way her heart fluttered with his words, so carefully chosen as always but there was a break in them. She knew it. She felt it in his tone, the small tremble of his voice as he once again hid himself away. His essence of pine trees in the rain and forest smoke, his love of cold sheets and steaming coffee. His fingertips trailed in a sea of darkness, his laugh so rare such a treasure, his voice like thunder in the wind. His raven hair flowing like a waterfall down into a lagoon of sadness. High above his testimony, down here his bleeding heart. She worried she was losing him as if he was ever hers.
"Alright let's go." He took her hand, his calloused palm in hers he paid for her dress. Outside snow began to fall as Anna looked out the shoppe windows. It was like ash was falling from above onto the pedestrians heads and storefront rooftops. Severus handed her the bag with her old clothes inside, opening the door for her they stood in the snow.
"It's refreshing." She whispered as she slowly spun around taking in the flakes.
"You find beauty in everything." He observed as he watched her spin, the snow falling on her head and nose and catching in her eyelashes and hair, he felt the flurries as they landed on him as well. He knew they had a place to be, but in this moment there was no other place, it was here in the visions of Anna.
"You do too, you just refuse to see it." She explained, taking his hand within hers the world spun and he found himself twirled around in the frost. Like a planet in orbit they felt their legs give in as the ash fluttered down around them, some falling into the remaining space between their faces. Nothing needed to be said, it was serenity in each others grasp, a sense of total and complete safety and comfort. And then it stopped as Anna let him go, the world slowed back into its usual grimness. "We should be at Abernathy by now." She reminded him, scared he had forgotten.
"Of course." He answered, retaking her hand they apparated into the Abernathy theater. The theater was already crowded with visitors and onlookers, Anna had seen a theater somewhat like this twice. Once in a Boston China town restaurant that had previously been a grand opera house and the other time in the Worcester palladium, a large concert hall she had seen an orchestra play at with her mother. But still this lavish design startled her. The seats draped in velvet surrounded by golden trims and polished curtains with heavy ties. It was the epitome of a Georgian opera hall. Severus had never been in such a luxurious place before. Anna turned to face him, his stern expression churned into one of surprise.
From her peripheral she noticed Draco sitting besides a man who could only be his father Lucius and mother. She'd never heard much about her, she seemed to live underneath her husbands shadow, but her beauty was awe striking, a silvery white band of hair draped within her bangs and over her shoulder. Snape stared at her as well, knowing what he had just partook in once again with this married woman.
"Who is she?" Asked Anna as she caught him watching her.
"Narcissa Malfoy." Replied Snape, suddenly Anna's blood ran cold as she remembered the name Snape had called the woman earlier who had been in his chambers.
"Cissi?"
"What did you just say?" He grabbed her by her shoulders, looming over her like a gigantic wave.
"That's what Draco calls her sometimes, I just didn't know who she was that's all. Why so defensive Professor?" She crudely remarked as his fingers let go of her.
"It's nothing that concerns you, now find us a seat, I would like to speak with Mr Malfoy alone." He grumbled. Anna angrily stomped up the stairs towards an open balcony. As she scouted their seats Severus approached Lucius.
"Pardon me, Lucius would you care for a conversation while we wait?" He insisted.
"Why not after Severus? Can't you see the show is about to begin?" He pointed out towards the stage as the lights surrounding them dimmed.
"I will find you after than, enjoy the show." Snape snickered as he followed up the stairs and to Anna as she sat fuming awaiting the play.
the lights surrounding them darkened even more, the light of the stage now in center focus as he sat himself beside her.
"How did it go? It was quite quick." Anna questioned as a light violin began to play.
"After the show Anna." He shushed her, slowly reclining back into his velvet chair adjacent to hers.
"Fine." She growled. The small lights underneath the balcony turned on into a hazy glow as the main cast walked onto the stage.
"Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour
Draws on apace; four happy days bring in
Another moon: but, O, methinks, how slow
This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires,
Like to a step-dame or a dowager
Long withering out a young man revenue." Spoke Theseus to his lover.
"Four days will quickly steep themselves in night;
Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New-bent in heaven, shall behold the night
Of our solemnities." She replied lying down beside him. Anna peered in closer, watching intently the play as it unfolded, her smile brighter than any other light Severus cleared his mind. He watched as her eyes lit up with joy, as she laughed and even as she swept a small tear from her eyes. He looked into her side profile, watching her nose scrunch up with humor and disgust. Right in front of him she showed emotions he had never dreamt of sharing with another witch or wizard and yet here she was so elegant and regal, enjoying the show as if he wasn't even there. Narcissa was no distraction, nothing could ever distract him from her. He needed her, he breathed her name, his blood flowed with each word she spoke. Her face so conspicuous. How could he have been so naive as to think anyone could ever displace her in his mind. It was over for him, it was a sentence of death. The very faint way her hair wrapped around her ear, the curl of her lips. He was a fool. A fool for her and her alone and yet she was still so clueless, so full of jealousy he could see it, the way it seeped out all because of what she knew had happened earlier that day. And that was when he knew that she loved him in the way she knew love was. Love to her was kind, it was warm and special. It touched her gently and carefully, it showed her how much she meant, it showed her how beautiful she was, it was a brilliance a spectacle much like this play. No love spell could ever change his love for her, he was no Shakespearean character, he was in love.