Annalise

Chapter 6

**Annalise's POV**

I wake up on my birthday and stretch, feeling my back crack and pop. I lie in bed for a moment more, thinking. I'm an adult. Finally.

I climb out of bed into the green lit room and get dressed. It's a Saturday, so I don't have to wear my uniform. I pull on some ratty cargo pants and an old shirt then walk up to breakfast.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Fred and George are on me the second I step into the Great Hall.

"Thank you!" I laugh, hugging them both tightly.

"You're sitting with us," George says, leading me towards the Gryffindor table. I glance over at the Ravenclaw table, but it's empty except for a few first years, so I sit down with Fred and George. I see Harry enter the Hall and sigh slightly, feeling my cheeks heat up.

"Has he asked you out again?" Fred asks, noticing.

"No," I shake my head, "he just... Stares at me a lot."

"Like he's doing right now," George laughs, "maybe we should invite him over..."

"Don't," I groan, "it's awkward enough already without you two sticking your noses in."

They both laugh, making me want to hit them. I grab a few pieces of toast and stand up.

"I'm going to go and eat outside," I say, "away from you two."

I walk out of the Hall and out into the grounds. It's warm for May, but still a little chilly. I sit down under a tree and stare out over the grounds. Below me the lake is sparkling, the Durmstrang boat bobbing lightly on the surface. I close my eyes and let all my breath out. Being seventeen doesn't feel any different than being sixteen. I thought I'd wake up wiser somehow, or maybe different, now that the trace is broken, but I just feel like me.

When I was younger I thought I'd turn seventeen and go on adventures. Move out of home, travel the world, discover new places. Of course, I still have a year of school left, but even after that, my future is pretty much sealed. I'll live with mum. Care for her, watch her, hope that some day she'll get better. Sometimes I don't even know why I bother with school.

I wipe the tears from my eyes and shake myself. No use in whining, what is is and what will be will be. I crumble the toast up and scatter it for the birds, then head back inside. I hesitate in the Entrance Hall, wondering what to do today. It's tempting to just get a book and hide away to read, but there's a pile of homework waiting for me in my dormitory, and it won't do itself, whether it's my birthday or not.

I walk down to my dormitory and see Laura is just waking up.

"Happy Birthday," she says blearily.

"Thanks," I laugh, collecting my books.

"I got you something," Laura says, fishing under her bed. She hands me a small package wrapped in blue tissue paper. I peel the paper away and find a pile of soft, green material I hold it up and gasp.

"It's beautiful," I murmur, "thank you so much!"

"It's nothing," she says dismissively, "try it on!"

I undress and pull the dress over my head. It fits perfectly, falling just above my knees, sleeves down to my elbows. The fabric is so light, and so pretty. It almost shimmers, even in the dim light. I twirl around, watching the skirt fan out around me. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever worn.

**Harry's POV**

Hermione insists on spending the morning in the library. Ron and I are on our third hidden game of naughts and crosses when I see a flick of green out of the corner of my eye. I glance over and do a double take. Annalise is standing in the aisle across from us, looking for a book. She's wearing a bright green dress and I can't stop staring.