beglitteredpirate
"It's a pretty day, Severus. Don't you think so?" The black cat winding through her legs only purred in contentment, no real answer from him, as usual. Mary leaned against the window sill, her face as passive, as expressionless as it'd been every day since that day. At least, she thought while gazing out over the expansive, snow-hushed grounds around that big, empty house, she was home. Little white flakes drifted down from the sky in the last bit of winter sun before melting on the window.
"Come away from the window now, Miss Raines!" said Mrs. Phiticus as she waddled into the room with a tray of hot cocoa and biscuits. "Can't have you catching a cold!" The edges of the Rainsworth girl's lips barely curled up. Mary moved from the window, her arm wanting to linger there, then her hand, then just her fingertips, and at last she turned toward the fire. She sat on the rug next to Severus Snape who was now cleaning his shiny, black coat. Mary ran her fingers over his head and along his slinking spine.
"Oh, Miss Mary. I found something on the door step for you this morning." He brow pressed into her narrowed blues.
"What is it?"
"A gift, it looks like." The house elf set the box at her side. It was pretty. Shimmering, blue wrapping. A glistening, silver ribbon to hold it all together. Her fingers curiously skimmed along the mystery gift before finally tugging the wrapping away. Inside, pajamas - just the sort she'd wear, in the colours she liked - and… Mary's eyes swelled. There at the bottom sat those muggle candies she liked so much. The same ones Neil bought her that night, when she tried to surprise him with that failed cake and poorly-knitted lion.
"What is it, Miss Mary?" said Mr. Phiticus.
"Neil…" she said. The house elves silenced, exchanging careful looks.
"We'll be in the kitchen, Miss Mary, if you need anything…" They parted, leaving their heartbroken master to her heartache. The sun soon died beyond the horizon, and she laid there, holding the little packages of sweets and staring at the floor, thinking, until the fire went out. Severus cried at her. He bumped her head with his. It was dinner time. Didn't she remember?