Lmao, this is unedited, so feel free to point out mistakes.
Happy reading ;)
"Shit...Anna, get up!" hissed Harry as he eyed the clock. The sleeping girl in his arms didn't budge and he groaned. "We're gonna be late!"
The pair lay on the couch in the living room, books sprawled out. They had fallen asleep together while studying up on their textbooks for that year. Anna was curled up on top of the boy, her head nestled into the fabric of his shirt, arms wrapped around his torso.
"Let me sleep," she moaned, hugging him tighter.
He blushed a bit and quickly wriggled out from beneath her. "We really need to get ready...we don't even have an hour-"
"Oh, relax, we'll be fine...we could always stay here-"
"Don't even start, now if you could get up that would make this a lot easier," murmured Harry, and Anna wrapped her arms and legs around him, smirking. "Wow, thanks, Anna, you're so much help."
"It's my pleasure."
"I'm sure it is," Harry rolled his eyes as she snickered and refused to move. "Okay, fine, you want to do this the hard way? Let's go."
As much as he wanted Anna to be healthy, Harry was slightly grateful that she was still quite light, as this made him much stronger than her. He easily picked her up and -despite her struggle - set her on her feet, saying, "We're going to Hogwarts whether you like it or not. Now get ready as soon as possible, and don't even think about trying to get out of this!"
She groaned and rolled her eyes. "I'm only doing this for you, Harry."
~=~
They used the Floo Network to get to King's Cross and were mesmerized - as always - by the vast amount of people on the platform. From old witches to child wizards, siamese kittens to big black dogs, and extravagant robes to pajamas, everything contrasted in some way.
This was the first year they went without an adult, and it sent chills down Anna's spine. She didn't realize how alone they were.
But she was okay with it, as long as she had the raven-haired boy by her side.
"Harry," she said softly. His eyes snapped to hers and worry was evident in his gaze. He was, in fact, worried. He didn't want her to freak out or become overwhelmed. Really, he wanted to just hug her tight and shield her from her fears and the shame she was probably going to endure from the idiot students.
"It's gonna be okay-"
"No, I need to tell you something." Anna gave a sigh and looked down, biting her lip. It was now or never. She took his hands in hers and met his gaze, nervous as could be. "I wanted to properly thank you-"
"It's nothing-"
"No, listen to me! I...I've been a real hassle and problem and I'm sorry and I feel awful. You're just such a good person-"
Harry chuckled and shook his head. "You're too kind. I've been awful to you in the past, a complete arse, really-"
"Yeah but I don't care, I...I wanna move past it," she said quietly, her heart racing.
"Um...what?"
Anna internally facepalmed and groaned at his stupidity. 'Merlin, no wonder why the idiot wasn't in Ravenclaw.'
Every passing second gave her more anxiety and she just wanted him to make the move. She wanted them to be together. She'd wished for this all summer, and with every touch, word, and encounter, she was surer of her feelings.
She was undeniably in love with Harry Potter.
They would either be together when going into Hogwarts or they wouldn't be together at all. With all the judgment and drama that was inevitable this year, she knew now was the time to do this.
But how?
'What if he doesn't like me? Wouldn't be a surprise...I mean, why would he anyway? I'm an unstable, ugly, stupid, psychotic teenage girl,' she thought. 'We spent almost all summer together...he'd be bound to have done something by now if he liked me...no, Anna, you're gonna do this. To hell with him if he rejects you!'
With a sigh, she straightened up, looked into his eyes, and matter-of-factly said, "You know exactly what I mean, Harry."
"I...I do?"
She moved closer to him and brought her hand up to cup his cheek. Their faces were only inches apart when she whispered, "I think you do."
Her eyes flitted to his lips before she leaned forward, closing the gap between them. Both of their hearts were racing like mad, but that longing was finally about to be soothed, what they'd wanted for so long. They would finally have something again, and this made them internally giddy and hopeful. They were oblivious to each other's mutual feelings until this moment, and it felt as is finally, they would have each other.
But their lips only brushed when a voice called out from afar, "Anna!"
The girl moved back quickly from Harry, her eyes wide as she looked around the station to find the culprit.
Remus Cockblocking Lupin.
'I swear he's out to fuck me over,' thought Anna bitterly as she watched the man come over with Nymphadora Tonks. It was obvious they didn't see what just happened.
While she looked distastefully at her godfather, Harry stared at Anna with wide eyes, his face redder than a cherry. He didn't know whether to feel pleased or concerned or happy, and his mind went blank as his heart took over.
Ha, as if his feelings for Anna weren't already definite.
But guilt filled his gut a bit. He'd swooped in at her most vulnerable time. She was in no position to be committed to anything besides getting better. A relationship was the last thing a vulnerable teenage girl needed, even if it were with her literal soulmate who understood her messed-up self perfectly.
"Ah, Anna!" exclaimed Tonks, running forward and tackling Anna in a big hug. She laughed at the hyper woman and hugged back. Tonks let her go and gripped her shoulders, asking, "So, how're you holding up?"
"I'm..." Anna's eyes flitted to Harry and her heart swelled a bit; she wasn't able to contain a grin. "I'm great...thanks to Harry."
"See, she doesn't need ya Remus!"
"Wow, thanks Tonks, I feel so loved," said Lupin sarcastically. He turned to face the kids, answering their mental question regarding his presence. "I just wanted to see you two off and this nutter decided to join. Hey, Harry, are you okay? You're awful quiet."
The raven-haired boy forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine...we should get to the train...yanno, we're late already."
"Oh, okay." Lupin seemed a bit disappointed. He was about to speak again until his gaze caught someone boarding the train.
His eyes widened and he held his breath as he saw a tall, strong, elegant woman, her dark curls pulled back into a low bun and light eyes glittering with sad reminiscence. She was donned in dark robes that made her even more regal, but that bitterness still stayed with her.
The same bitterness she had radiated at Sirius' funeral as she stood, hidden among the trees.
Luckily for Lupin, the woman didn't see him, and he relaxed a bit when she was out of sight. Tonks had been joking with the kids and currently had her face morphed into a duck. He nudged her and said, "stop it Nymphadora, you're drawing attention-"
"What did I tell you about calling me Nymphadora?! And besides, they're used to attention."
"Erm, sorry," said Remus, chuckling at Tonks' flaming red hair before turning to Harry and Anna. "You two should get going...you need to be careful, watch your backs, okay?"
"Is there something we should know?"
Lupin's eyes flitted to where the woman had been, but he quickly shook his head. "N-no. I'm just saying...well, there's always danger with you two, but times are getting darker... Just focus on your schoolwork and try staying under the radar, but be diligent, okay?"
The two agreed and hugged him and Tonks goodbye, walking off to the train together. Anna noticed Harry's tension and quietly asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You're acting really weird...look, if it's me-"
"Let's find Ron and Hermione," Harry cut her off, not even glancing at her. More and more guilt filled his gut with every word she spoke. 'She doesn't even realize how vulnerable she is.'
They walked in silence through the train - which had just taken off - and easily found the bushy-haired bookworm and ginger sitting together in a compartment, laughing together. It was almost as if something sparked between them.
Key word: almost
"Oh Merlin, hey you two! I've missed you so much!" exclaimed Hermione upon seeing them, jumping up to hug them both. Ron sat there awkwardly and gave a wave.
Anna and Harry took a seat next to each other, the latter finding much fascination of the window scenery. He tried avoiding looking or speaking to her while the group made small talk.
And this, for some reason, made Anna quite anxious. She was so used to him speaking and saving her when she'd feel uncomfortable or fumble in any way. For just a second, when they'd almost kissed, she almost felt as brave as normal, as if going to Hogwarts and socializing wouldn't be all that hard, as if all her doubts went away.
But with the bitter feeling of uncertainty and rejection growing in her heart, she felt worse than ever. 'What did I do wrong?' she wondered. 'He went with it, I know I'm not imagining that.'
"So...how are you, Anna?" asked Hermione carefully, bringing her back to reality. Anna could feel everyone's eyes awkwardly flit to her.
Well, the elephant in the room - err...compartment? - had to be addressed sooner or later.
"I'm okay...honestly, Harry's a life-saver."
Hermione smiled a bit, looking back and forth between them, but frowned a bit when seeing Harry's pained expression. "Well, he cares about you a lot, right?"
He merely nodded and there was an awkward silence. Anna broke it by giving a sigh and standing up and saying, "I'm gonna go for a bit...I'll be back." And with that, she walked out, closing the door behind her.
What they didn't know was that she was standing outside the compartment the whole time, listening to every word. She was determined to figure out Harry's problem.
"So, mate, what's up with you two?" asked Ron but Harry merely *shrugged. "Is there some...erm, tension or something?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Harry, anyone with a brain could see that something's wrong. What is it?"
The raven-haired boy sighed and put his head in his hands. "Anna...she's just...she just doesn't understand..."
"Understand what?"
"Okay, don't say anything to her about it, but she tried making a move on me earlier," said Harry.
Hermione gave a delighted squeal. "Isn't that what you've wanted for a long time? To be with her-"
"She just doesn't get it."
The ginger sighed. "Mate...even I have to admit, you two would be good for each other. You're the only one that gets her."
"No, Ron, I don't."
"Do you not like her?" questioned their bookish friend, her brown eyes wide with anticipation.
Harry just pursed his lips and shook his head. "She thinks she's better but it's going to be a long time before she actually is...she's just not ready, she's a vulnerable teenage girl and it's just...not a good idea. She's really messed up in the head right now."
On the other side, Anna's eyes widened and her heart dropped to her stomach. An awful feeling flooded through her veins.
Rejection.
Harry didn't love her. He didn't like her. She was merely a task. She wasn't good enough yet again.
'I should've known, he only pitied me,' thought the girl, tears filling her eyes and a lump forming in her throat. 'He just sees me as some fucked up chore. He doesn't even see me as an actual person.'
She was snapped out of her thoughts when someone slammed into her, knocking her to the floor. The person quickly grabbed her arm and helped her up, saying, "I'm so sorry!"
"No, it was my fault," muttered Anna, but her eyes quickly widened when she saw him.
A guy her age with looks that could kill and a touch that sent chills down her spine.
As if her anxiety wasn't bad enough.
He was about to protest and apologize more until their eyes met. His expression softened and he quietly asked, "Are you okay? Were you...crying?"
"Huh? Oh, no, I'm fine. It's just erm...allergies," said Anna awkwardly, quickly sniffing and wiping her eyes before forcing a smile. "I haven't seen you around before...who are you?"
"Probably because I'm new. I'm Caspar Mundy," he said with a bright smile, sticking his hand out to shake. He had a kind American accent.
(Brant Daughtery is the faceclaim, he's in the cast)
He was tall, muscular, and had very dark brown hair and bright, icy blue eyes. His somewhat pale complexion and eyes beautifully contrasted with his dark hair. He had an undeniable jawline and his smile was contagious.
He looked fierce but friendly, and something compelled Anna to want to get to know him.
She took his hand and he shook it lightly as if he didn't want to hurt her. The girl smiled. "I'm Anna-"
"Black, of course. The scars say it all," he said with a chuckle, his light eyes flitting to the lightning scar on her neck and then to the one that ran a good amount down the left side of her face. She suddenly felt self-conscious and her gaze dropped to the floor. He noticed this. "It's not a bad thing...I think you look pretty cool, like a warrior."
Anna couldn't suppress a smile when she met his gaze again. "Oh, um...thanks, I've never been told that before."
As Caspar was about to respond, a voice sneered from behind her, "Well look at what we have here...Anna Psycho Black had the nerve to show her ugly face at Hogwarts again!" She turned to face the one and only Pansy Parkinson.
"Look who's talking, Parkinson."
"You're such a nutter, just like your father. Are you trying to follow in his footsteps? Keep his spot in Azkaban warm? Yeah, we all know what you did to Evie-"
"Fuck off," Anna seethed, her irises turning red. "You don't know a thing about the Battle, and you sure as hell don't know a thing about my father."
"Maybe not, except for the fact that he's deader than dirt, and you're next, you pathetic-"
"I think she's pretty cool, strong too," said Caspar, stepping forward. His gaze was colder than the ice that his eyes resembled.
Pansy smirked. "Oh, so you're the new kid? Don't associate with that...psycho. You'll find the right sort sooner or later."
"I think I already have," he said with a smile, bringing a strong arm around Anna's shoulders, causing her to blush slightly. "You've got some nerve picking on one of the most famous and cool people in the whole wizarding world."
This caused the pug-faced girl to grumble in anger. "You'll see soon enough. I've known her since first year-"
"We've only talked twice in the past six years," Anna cut in incredulously.
"Regardless, she's a complete psychotic bitch. She'll get you killed, just like she did with Diggory, Spirit, and her parents," spat Pansy before turning on her heel and stomping off.
Anna ignored the sinking feeling in her gut...for once, Pansy was right.
Caspar noticed her frown and gave a sympathetic smile, quietly saying, "Don't listen to her, she's more pug than human."
"That's offensive to pugs," she said with a smirk, causing him to laugh. "Thanks...for...well, yanno..."
"Don't worry, I was bound to make enemies sooner or later."
"Hey, speaking of other people...who are you sitting with?"
He gave a chuckle and removed his arm from around Anna, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. "Honestly, I've just been wandering the aisles...ran into that candy lady twice as a matter of fact."
"Well, um, if you don't have anywhere to sit...I-I'm sure there's room in my compartment," stuttered Anna shyly.
The boy gave a smile. "Sounds great."
Meanwhile, in the compartment...
"What?! You don't like her? Harry, since when has that happened?! You've liked her since...well, since you met her!" exclaimed Hermione, exasperated.
"No, don't get me wrong, I love Anna-" he was cut off by Ron's snicker and he gave a glare. "I...I just want what's best for her and the last thing she needs is to be dragged down by a relationship."
"If she wants it and you do, there isn't a problem-"
"Yeah, but she's still recovering. There's no rush. The thing is...I just think it's infatuation for her. She's just being compulsive-"
"Or she actually likes you," Hermione cut in sharply. "Look, I personally think you're making excuses...do you not like her? Is it because she's...well, different?"
"No, honestly I don't even see that, it doesn't faze me. I don't care what she looks like or what she's going through. To me she'll always be Anna...but for now, I just want her to find herself before getting invested into someone else," admitted Harry sheepishly. He felt like such a softie when talking about her, and it almost made him feel vulnerable in a way.
"Okay, but mate, you two spent all summer together. Alone together. You can't expect anyone to believe it was innocent and that nothing happened-"
"Yeah, well unlike you, Ron, I know how to be decent and not take advantage of people," growled Harry, his emerald eyes colder than ever. The small room fell silent and the ginger turned redder than his hair.
"Look...what I did was bloody stupid...I'm gonna apologize to her though, properly, without you lot interfering. But forget that, we're talking about you and Anna. Now...I don't mean to be rude, but you might want to be careful about waiting...you know how she is, she loves vengeance...if someone tries going after her, you know she'll go with it to make you jealous-"
"Wow, Ron, it's great how highly you think of her," muttered Hermione.
"Yeah, and besides, who could she possibly be with? With these rumors that are bound to spread...I dunno, I just can't see that happening-" Harry was cut off by the compartment door opening, revealing a giddy Anna.
She smiled and said, "I ran into someone, literally, and they don't have anywhere to sit...do you mind?"
The trio shook their heads. Anna took her seat and lightly pulled a guy in by his arm. The mere contact made jealousy prick Harry's heart.
"Hey guys, I'm Caspar Mundy...you've got a pretty cool friend here," he smiled, flashing a grin.
Harry clenched his jaw, saying, "Ron, I think you've jinxed us."
~=~
Hanna shippers...pls don't kill me...I'm sorry...
OMFG I WANTED TO PUT THEM TOGETHER I SWEAR BUT I COULDN'T YET I'M SORRY SKSLJKNDJKN. LIKE WHEN THEY ALMOST GOT TOGETHER I WAS SMILING LIKE MAD BC THEY'RE SO FUN AND CUTE TO WRITE WHEN VOLDY DOESN'T F*CK WITH THEM.
Okay, but yeah, sorry about teasing you, but I love to see you suffer and it's important to the story.
You're probably thinking, "Wow, Lumos, you suck. You're just adding in a random character to create a love triangle."
No, Caspar's actually meaningful to the story, so pls hush.
I intended to have more included in this chapter and for it to be built up more, but alas, it's unedited and I wrote snippets here and there. Sorry!
Question of the chapter,
~What role do you think Caspar will play? Are you excited for his character or do you want to crucio him?~
Anyway, hope you enjoyed, I know I did! Please vote, comment, and check out the new chapter for "Hidden In Plain Sight"!
(i'm a week late on it oopsies)
Love to all,
~Lumos