Work Text:
If someone asked what place on earth looks most magical on Christmas, Hogwarts would be an obvious answer. Snow covered every inch of surface around the castle and it seemed like there were no plans for the snow to stop falling, while the fire was peacefully cracking in the fireplaces inside the wizarding school. Anne was sitting in front of one of them, curled with a book in her hands and slowly falling asleep.
It was a day before Christmas Eve and the Gryffindor common room was almost completely empty. Most of the students had just left to spend Christmas with their families, just like Anne had used to do in the past five years. That year though, Matthew and Marilla travelled to visit their long term friend Rachel in Canada and although Anne would certainly miss them, she was extremely excited to spend holidays in her favorite place in the whole wide world. Moreover, all of her friends were there so they could have fun together. Well, all expect her very best friend in the world and a kindred spirit, Diana Barry, whose parents refused to let her stay in the castle and instead, she was forced to spend holidays with her whole, extended family in their mansion on the other side of the country. To say that both of them were aggravated by this turn of events would be an understatement.
After exchanging a very dramatic goodbyes with her best friend, Anne didn’t feel like spending the rest of the day in Hogsmeade with other girls and decided to take advantage of a silent common room. The events of the past couple of days gave her a lot to think about. She wanted to sort out her thoughts and she swore to herself that was the last time she would occupy her mind with a certain boy, a fellow sixth year student. She had only realized she’s in love with Gilbert Blythe a couple of days ago, but she’d already managed to get her heart broken. Well, she’d always prayed for a tragical romance and she got it. Fortunately for her, Gilbert had left to spend winter break with his family and she had a whole holiday season to get over him. Anne was determined to do so in a record time. Being hung up on a boy, and especially the boy who had completely ignored her love confession, did her no good.
***
It was nearly five when Anne finally got up from her comfortable reading spot and decided to go down for dinner. The girls were having dinner in Hogsmeade so her book remained her only faithful companion. She was speeding down the stairs with her nose buried in a book, and unsurprisingly she found herself on the ground just a few minutes later. (To Anne’s defence, she had only recently found out how exciting some of old muggle novels were. She hadn’t had a chance to attend a muggle school long enough to discover them and now that she had, she just couldn’t get enough of those stories.) Her fall wasn’t completely her fault though. She looked up and there stood a person she definitely wasn’t very fond of seeing at the moment.
“Ow, can’t you watch where you’re going?” said Winnifred, a pretty, blond seventh year student, while she was rubbing her arm which had collided with Anne’s body.
“I… I’m sorry I haven’t seen you,” Anne stood back up, very aware of the fact that her face was now matching the Gryffindor jumper she was wearing.
“Nevermind,” the blonde reached up for the suitcase she dropped and she started walking away.
“Winnie! Wait!”
“Yes?”
“I…” Anne took a deep breath. “Ehm… hasn’t the train already left?”
“My father is picking me up in Hogsmeade, not that it’s any of your business. Is that all?”
“Ehm.. well. Congratulations!” the readhead bursted out. “I… I wish you and Gilbert all the happiness and…”
“Are you serious?” Winnifred put her hands on her hips and her voice was unusually high. “Do you think it’s fun to rub it in my face? Unrequited love, huh how ridiculous!”
“What? I… What are you talking about?” Anne had no idea what was going on. She thought she was being polite and mature, after all she had just congratulated someone who was in a serious relationship with the love of Anne’s life.
“Don’t you know? Please, don’t play stupid.”
“I… I have no idea what you’re talking about?”
“Don’t tell me he hasn’t told you.”
“Told me what?” Anne was getting more and more confused.
“Don’t tell me he straight up rejected me because he’s in love with you and then didn’t even have guts to tell you about it.”
Anne felt as if someone dumped a bucket of ice cold water all over her. “He… what?” she asked with a weak voice.
“I can’t believe he left without talking to you. Maybe I did dodge the bullet with that one, huh?” Winnifred wondered with a shadow of a sad smile on her face. “Well, anyway… I have to go. Have a nice Holiday, Anne.”
“I… you too… I… wait…” she tried to stop her but Winnifred was already out of reach, hurrying towards the Entrance Hall.
Anne had no idea how many minutes passed. She didn’t move one inch, trying hard to make sense of this short encounter. If Gilbert was in love with her (and only the thought of this possibility made her heart flutter) why hadn’t he told her? Why had he ignored her short but very straightforward letter? She hadn’t even seen him much outside of classes in those past few days but considering they’re both in different houses she had never given it much thought even though they shared a friend-group. Was it possible? Was it possible that Gilbert Blythe was in love with her, Anne Shirley? Was it possible that he rejected someone as perfect as Winnifred Rose, who came from one of the most prominent wizarding families in the world and who was absolutely gorgeous?
As the realization of this possibility hit her, she turned around and within a few seconds she was already halfway to Gryffindor tower. The only thing on her mind was that she needed to know for sure and she needed to ask him in person. After all, his reply to her love confession was outrageous… or was it? Anne only then realized she had never actually read his letter before tearing it up. Oh, how stupid she had been! What if he had confessed his feelings to her.. and she… she, in the rage that she had been feeling that day… But there was no use in thinking about it now. She needed to talk to Gilbert and she needed to do it at that very moment.
As she was throwing her coat and scarf on herself back in her dormitory, she was considering all the possibilities. Hogwarts Express had probably already left, but maybe she could catch a ride with the Roses to wherever they lived and then she would travel to her and Gilbert’s small village by a floo powder or something. She was sure there was a way to do it, maybe she would be even able to get there before Gilbert. But if she wanted to catch up with Winnifred while she’s still on the school grounds, she needed to hurry.
***
Gilbert Blythe was sitting in front of Hogsmeade Station, waiting for Hogwarts Express that was supposed to show up any minute now. He couldn’t wait to spend Christmas outside of school. He loved everything about Hogwarts, but the last few days had been a nightmare.
Realizing that he is in love with his old, childhood friend took a toll on him. He had already come on terms with the fact that his love was unrequited. He didn’t expect anything from Anne, he had told her as much in his letter, but he still needed some time away from everything and spending Christmas with his parents and the family of his step-brother seemed like a great idea. He was extremely sorry he had hurt Winni, who had always been such a good friend to him, but he couldn’t pretend to give his heart to someone when it had already been in a possession of someone else for years.
He had first met Anne almost eight years ago. The muggle siblings living almost next door to him and his parents, had adopted a small, plucky orphan who had almost immediately become his best friend. Looking back, Gilbert had never understood why his parents had always been so okay with him running around with a muggle girl without a fear that he would expose the wizarding world to her. That had never happened though, so imagine Gilbert’s surprise when he’d met Anne tailed by slightly freaked out Cuthberts on his first year shopping trip to Diagon Alley. That had also been the moment when his friendship with Anne had ended. Actually, not only that, Anne had also smacked him with her newly purchased copy of Transfiguration textbook, aggravated by the fact that he had hid a whole world from her. Gilbert could still feel the exact spot on his head where he'd been hit by Anne's textook.
Once in Hogwarts, they had been sorted into different houses so it had been more difficult to patch things up. Gilbert had secretly hoped Anne would end up in Ravenclaw with him, but he couldn’t say that he’d been surprised that her adventurous and curious nature had won over her just as impressive intellect.
It had been over six years and since then they had buried the hatchet but Gilbert had no idea what his newly discovered feelings would do to their friendship.
“Gilbert!” a loud girly voice brought him back to earth from reminiscing.
“Oh, Diana! Hi!” he smiled, happy to see a friendly face. “Are you going home, too?”
“Yes,” Diana didn’t reciprocate his smile, which was something that he found confusing. He was friends with Diana. “But I’m not taking the Hogwarts Express, my father is picking me up. Anyway… are you for real, Gilbert?”
“Excuse me?”
“Excuse you? What are you doing? You’re not dating Winnifred, and now you’re just running away without talking to Anne?”
“What?” to say that Gilbert had no idea what Diana was talking about would be an understatement.
“Tell me, do you really have no feeling for Anne whatsoever?” she blurted out.
“I… Wait… How do you… I do, but how do you…”
“And you simply didn’t bother to speak to Anne about any of this?” Diana’s voice was getting louder and Gilbert instinctively inched back on the bench, trying to distance himself from the girl standing in front of him.
“Had I had the opportunity, I would have. In fact, I went…”
“You had EVERY opportunity for YEARS! Admit it, you’ve been smitten with Anne ever since she first moved in with Cuthberts. There were countless cues and you certainly can’t deny you were beguiled by her at DADA practice, even though it turns out you were secretly courting a rich seventh year, who you had the TEMERITY to step out with at Halloween feast with no word of warning. THEN you show up by the lake and DEMAND to know how Anne feels about you and give her all of thirty seconds to decide her entire future. And worst of all: You callously ignored the Anne wrote to you even though she told you she loved you!”
Gilbert started at her feeling as if he was walked over by a herd of hippogriffs.
“What letter? Diana, what letter?!”
If someone asked Gilbert what happened in the following few minutes, he probably wouldn’t be able to tell. He was on his feet in a matter of seconds, and he was running back to the castle as if his life depended on it.
****
Anne knew it was already dark outside and there was a good chance some of her teachers would stop her before she would have a chance to catch on to Winnifred but she didn’t care. She basically flew down all the stairs to the Entrance Hall and as she was opening the heavy front door, she could see someone running towards the castle.
It didn’t take her a long time to recognize the tall figure with the head covered in curls.
Gilbert Blythe stepped into the light that was coming from the huge castle windows, his eyes stopping at Anne’s face. For a minute, or maybe it was more - Anne really couldn’t tell - they were just standing there, staring at each other while more and more snowflakes were covering their hair.
Then, so suddenly that Anne could hardly recall how it exactly happened, Gilbert stood only inches from her, hesitantly raising his hand to caress Anne’s cheek. Taking a deep breath he leaned in and his lips lightly touched Anne’s. The sensation that went through Anne’s body was something she had never experienced before. She felt as if her heart could jump out of her chest. The peck was over faster than it was desired though and Gilbert slightly leaned back, while eyes were deeply buried in Anne’s, silently asking a hopeful question.
To answer him, Anne gently grabbed his head between her hands and made their lips collide yet again. This time though, their initial shyness was nowhere to be found and their second kiss was nothing like the quick peck they had shared just a few seconds ago. They were both holding each other tightly as if they could lose each other any moment. Anne’s hands were in Gilbert’s curls and his hands were gently pressing her back so there was hardly any space left between their bodies. As they slowly pulled apart both of them were trying to catch a breath with their eyes wide open as if they couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. Gilbert’s warm breath tickled Anne’s nose and she couldn’t remember a moment when she had felt happier. Was it even real?
Instinctively, Anne let go of Gilbert and pinched her own arm to check, which resulted in Gilbert questioningly furrowing his eyebrows.
“I… sorry… I have a very good imagination so I just… had to be sure this… is real,” she murmured.
“Anne,” he said with a raspy voice and Anne only now realized how much she loved the way her name, that she had always considered quite plain, sounded when he was the one saying it. “I have to ask… Do you truly have feelings for me?”
There was so much hope in his voice and Anne had no idea how to answer him other than putting her arms around his neck and kissing him once again. Pulling him close, she tried hard to express all the emotions she’d been hiding for so long. She could feel how her fast-beating heart matched with Gilbert’s own as they were perfectly in sync. Anne had no idea something, or rather someone, could make her feel the way GIlbert did at that very moment. It was freezing outside, but she had never felt warmer and safer.
“Anne! Gilbert!” someone was shouting from the distance, startling them and causing that they jumped away from each other.
“Oh,” Gilbert checked his watch, suddenly in panic. “I have to go.”
“But” she chuckled. “You’ve only just got here. Where are you going?”
“Home.. I mean, Bash is coming over for holidays… and it’s Dellie’s first Christmas. I need to be there, you know… I,” he was stammering.
“Oh, yeah, sure,” Anne smiled weakly.
“Do you want to join us?” he blurted out with a hopeful expression on his face.
“I… I am supposed to stay here, I doubt anyone would let me go without Marilla’s permission.” Anne said, not mentioning she had been in the middle of her genius plan to run away and meet him at his house just a minute ago.
“That’s true…” Gilbert’s face fell, but suddenly he took both of Anne’s hands into his and raised them to his lips, leaving a gentle kiss which made Anne feel like a heroine of one of her favorite historical romances. “But I’ll be back. Soon, okay? Meanwhile, I’ll write to you?”
“As you recall I have a very good quill,” Anne remarked cunningly which caused a wide smile to appear on Gilbert’s face.
“Gilbert, Anne,” the person yelling at them earlier was Diana who was dragging all of her luggage behind her.
“Diana! What are you doing here?” Anne wondered.
“I’m staying! I can stay for holidays!” she jumped into Anne’s arms and as soon as she was done hugging her kindred spirit, she turned to Gilbert. “You missed the train, Gilbert. But my father is waiting for you with your luggage at the station, he can take you.”
“Ah! Thank you. I… “ he looked at Anne as if he was considering something. “I’ll write to you first thing tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay… So, goodbye for now?” Anne smiled.
Gilbert was already turning around when he stopped halfway and he looked like he was making up his mind about something. Then without any warning, he ran back to Anne, placing a quick but very confident kiss on her lips. “To be continued,” he whispered.
“Oh, I’m counting on that,” Anne said and she was sure every part of her body was matching her hair in that moment.
****
Dear Anne,
Did today really happen? I had to pinch myself a couple of times too.
I wish I could stay with you at Hogwarts, or you would come home with me. Either way, I just wish we were together right now.
I assume Diana has already enlightened you on our (rather one sided) conversation. I can’t believe your letter got lost somewhere. You need to know I’ve never read your letter. I genuinely believed you felt indifferent towards me. Oh, what fools we were!
But I have to ask. What about mine letter to you? Have you read it? Surely, you have. Or was its destiny similar to your letter?
Anyway, I can’t wait to be back with you. There’s so much to talk about and well…
I love you, Anne. It feels so great to be finally able to say it out loud (or at least write it haha). I’ve been grinning like an idiot ever since I left you.
Please, write back soon. I can’t wait to hear from you.
Forever yours,
Gilbert.