Chapter Fourteen;
"Bill! Don't go, not yet!"
Ginny pushed her way through the small crowd at her Aunt Muriel's, where they'd been relocated for days after Harry, Ron, and Hermione were captured at Malfoy Manor - the fact that Ron was with them would mean that their entire family was sure to be targeted, and the Burrow was no longer safe. Bill had just brought Ollivander from Shell Cottage with the news that the three were okay, as were a goblin, Dean Thomas, and Luna Lovegood.
Bill turned, an eyebrow raised. "Ginny, what is it?"
"Bill, you said Luna is with you?"
Her oldest brother nodded. "Yes, she came back with Ron, Harry, and Hermione."
Ginny beamed. Luna was okay. A weight she hadn't realised she had been carrying was suddenly lifted from her shoulders.
And she knew a certain someone who would love to hear the news even more than she did.
"I ask because there's a friend of ours, Annie Wilkinson, she was really good friends with Luna, and the past term she's been distraught with worry about her," Ginny said, allowing herself to sound pleading. "I thought maybe if we could let her know, or even let her visit Shell Cottage -"
Bill for frowned.
"Ginny, it's dangerous, you know that."
"But Annie never had a proper friend until Luna!" Ginny exclaimed. She wasn't going to let up; she knew just how happy Annie would be to see Luna again, and vice versa. "You should've seen her, Bill! She walked around Hogwarts as white as a sheet every day. She needs to know Luna is okay, and see her if she can!"
Bill pressed his lips together. The silence that stretched between them was agonising. Ginny barely breathed, waiting for Bill's response. Please say yes, it would mean so much to both of them... Please, Bill...
"Where does Annie live?" he asked eventually.
Ginny grinned and told him, knowing that she had him. Bill considered if mometarily and then sighed.
"Fine. I'll let Annie know, and bring her to Shell Cottage." His expression then softened. "I think anyone needs a little bit of good news during these times."
+++
Unsurprisingly to anyone, Annie was tending to the plants in her greenhouse when Bill Weasley arrived just outside their house.
She had been the first to hear him. She'd been in the greenhouse since early that morning, trying to keep her mind off Luna, of the Carrows, of the fact Harry Potter had been captured (her mother listened to Potterwatch), and being accompanied by Ron Weasley meant that Ginny and her entire family was forced to go into hiding before the Death Eaters retaliated.
It felt like she was only losing everyone she cared about, one by one. Terror spiked within her at the thought of losing anyone else - she couldn't. She'd fall apart.
She'd been so absorbed in fertilising all the plants that when that crack the accompanied Apparation sounded, Annie yelled and jumped out of her skin, spilling fertiliser everywhere. Some nearby plants squirmed in protest.
"Sorry," she whispered to the affected plants, before she turned and ran to the greenhouse entrance. A scarred, red-haired man stood at the entrance to her house, talking to her mother.
"Excuse me, but is Annie Wilkinson here?" he was asking.
"Who are you?" Colette snapped, though there was a tremor in her voice. "Some Ministry official?"
The man chuckled. "Far from it. I'm Bill Weasley -"
"Ginny's brother!" Annie exclaimed, running out of the greenhouse. Dirt covered every part of her body, but neither Bill nor her mother appeared to mind.
Bill Weasley smiled. "Annie, I presume?" When she nodded frantically he added, "I've come to invite you to my place for the rest of the holidays. I think there's someone there you'd like to see."
Annie's heart skipped a beat.
"Who?" she whispered, on tenterhooks.
"Luna Lovegood."
Everything in the world had stopped, nothing else in the world mattered. Annie lost her breath, her eyes wide. That name, that name. Luna Lovegood. Her heart began to race.
Luna. She was back, she was safe - Annie could see her again.
"Luna?" Annie choked out. "She's okay?"
"She is. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson, if you don't mind me taking Annie - she'll be perfectly safe, of course, our home is protected by a Fidelius Charm, and no one knows where it is anyway -"
"Of course," her father said. He smiled; he knew how close Annie was to Luna, he was him who Annie told all her stories to. "Get ready, Annie."
Annie dashed upstairs and began throwing random clothes and belongings together. She cleaned herself with a charm and within ten minutes, she was back downstairs with butterflies in her stomach. "Luna?"
She hugged her parents goodbye then joined Bill outside; he outstretched his arm and Annie took it, and was instantly sapped into the air.
"You alright, Annie?" Bill asked when they touched solid ground again: Annie had crumpled to the floor, feeling queasy. She didn't trust herself to speak, so she just waved a hand to Bill saying that yes, she was okay.
After a minute of recovering Annie stood, still shaking vaguely. Bill was still waiting for her and Annie followed him. He'd taken her trunk when she collapsed.
The place was lovely, Annie thought, trudging along. They were right on the edge of the sea. Long grasses waved in the sea breeze, the salt of the ocean hanging in the air. It was a pleasant smell; the scent of freedom. Several wild flowers bloomed in the fields around the cliff.
And in those fields...
Annie froze. She rubbed her eyes, but that didn't change what she saw: a mass of dirty blonde hair amongst the wild flowers.
For a moment, Annie had forgotten how to function. Her heart had stopped, and she wasn't breathing. She was just staring at the blonde girl and she never, ever wanted to look away.
Luna stood, tucking a few of the flowers behind her ear. She turned and as she did, became aware of the redhead girl staring at her.
"Luna," Annie stammered.
The two walked toward each other; Annie felt as though she was in a daze.
"Annie? Is that you?" Luna called.
Annie nodded. Then she couldn't take walking anymore, it was far too slow; she was running across the short distance that separated herself and Luna and flung her arms around the blonde girl, holding her tight, afraid if she loosened her grip Luna would vanish. Annie's heart was racing as she buried her face in Luna's shoulder. Luna smiled and rubbed Annie's back.
"Merlin, Luna!" she cried. "I was, I was so worried - you are okay, aren't you?" Annie stood back and began inspecting Luna for any damage. "You weren't hurt at all?"
Luna smiled. "No, I'm fine." She tilted her head to the side. "You're too thin."
Annie chuckled dryly, rubbing the back of her head. "I guess I haven't really been eating... I was so worried about you."
Luna's expression softened.
"I'm sure Fleur will be able to cook something up for you," the blonde said, taking Annie's hand. Annie felt electric shocks go down her arm at Luna's touch. "Let's go."
Annie stumbled after her.
As it happened, Fleur was just finishing dinner when Annie and Luna arrived. Annie was surprised when she was greeted warmly, forced into a chair, and had huge helpings piled on her plate. "You are underfed!" Fleur declared firmly, and Annie smiled.
They were soon joined by others, but Annie barely noticed Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Dean Thomas, and a goblin join them for dinner when she was all too aware of the blonde girl next to her.
And all throughout dinner, Annie had to keep looking across at Luna to be sure she wasn't seeing a trick of the light, and afterward hold her at every available moment to be sure she hadn't stumbled into one of her dreams.