Sorry in Advance for grammar/ spelling mistakes.

"James! James!" Someone was banging loudly on the door to his compartment.

James opened one big hazel eye lazily. He was trying to sleep here. He'd barely gotten an hour of sleep last night and he honestly needed to get at least a little shut eye before they arrived at Hogwarts, which would surely be covered in a thick layer of clean white snow, yet to be trodden on by the returning students.

"What?" James said. He sat up, sleepily rubbing his eyes. Anna McAllister poked her head into his compartment.

"Sorry. I'm just. Can I- I mean would you- I mean—" Anna started but James held up a hand to silence her. He knew what she was trying to say.

"Yes, Annie, you can sit with me."

Anna let out a relieved sigh and allowed James to pull her heavy trunk into the compartment. She pulled the door shut behind her and fell face down on the red cushioned bench on the left side of the compartment. James curled up on the other side, pressing his nose to the cold glass of the window, fogging up from his hot breath.

It was an exceptionally cold and dismal January morning and both Anna and James's moods seemed to match the weather. The Hogwarts express was rattling along the icy tracks and everyone, returning from the Christmas holiday, was shouting happily down the train and showing off their new broom sticks and expensive sweaters and their supply of Weasley's Wizards Wheezes products. James on the other hand was repeatedly banging his forehead, which he was sure was bruising by now, against the window.

He was tired and stressed and going through an identity crisis of sorts. There was so much pressure at school lately about post Hogwarts life. Everyone expected him to be just like his dad. Well what if he didn't want to be an auror? What if he didn't want to be brave and heroic? What if he wanted to be a teacher or a healer or a dentist and give up his powers? Would that really be so bad? ….The truth was he did want to be auror. He just didn't want people to assume that he would be. He wanted people for bloody once to just see him as James, not as Harry Potter's son, not as the kid named after two people, not as a Potter. Why couldn't he just be James?

Anna was not going through an identity crisis. She was having a mental breakdown and she felt like crying her eyes out. She didn't know what she'd done wrong. She was always kind and considerate. She helped her classmates with tricky charms questions or edited their potions' essays, she always let people cry on her shoulder, and she stood up for everyone, even the first years. Anna tried so hard to be a good friend. But in the life of teenage girl sometimes it didn't pay off to be nice, sometimes— most of the time— life's a lot easier for the mean girls. All of her friends had decided she was a fake, insincere bitch who they wouldn't be caught dead with. So she was kicked out of the compartment that she had saved for them. To make matters worse her boyfriend had bumped into her on the way to James compartment and told her "They should take a break."

And now here she was with James, whom she was currently in a fight with because she had awoken yesterday morning on the roof of her house with a uni-brow and maple syrup dripping down the front of her night gown. But drastic times called for drastic measures and at least James wasn't sneering at her.

"James, why are girls such bitches?"

"I don't know."

James quit hammering his head against the window and instead turned to his face his friend.

"I thought you were mad at me." James said.

"I am."

"Then why are you here."

"Because." Anna inspected nails.

"Because girls are bitches?"

"I suppose." Said Anna. She sat up, tugging her auburn hair out of the ponytail she had tied it back in this morning. It was giving her a headache.

"Anna?" James said after a brief moment of comfortable silence.

"Yes."

"Can we quit being mad at each other for this train ride?"

"Can we just quit being mad at each altogether?"

"Sure."

Things were always easy with James. If you didn't count the mischief. He was quick to forgive, let you sit with him even when he felt like ripping your head off, and always, always offered to beat up people for you. James was a boy and that made things so much simpler. Girls could be so dramatic. James had a no drama policy.

Anna sighed heavily and fiddled with a lone string at the hem of her heavy, wool sweater. She couldn't cry. She just couldn't.

Mr. Potter's stomach grumbled. The last thing he'd had to eat was a pumpkin pasty two hours ago and he was starving. Reaching down to his trunk, he fished around in the mess of socks and quills and other items that he probably should've gotten rid of three years ago, until he found a chocolate frog that he'd gotten for Christmas. He tore open the package and caught the frog quickly before it could jump away. Then he broke it in half and offered the head to Anna, who wrinkled her nose and muttered a quick "no thanks." Merlin knew what year that frog was from. James shoved the whole chocolate into his mouth with a shrug and glanced down the look at the card as he chewed.

Harry Potter.

James stared at the picture of his father's smiling face, his green eyes and disheveled hair. He loved his dad, he really did. He was his role model, the person he looked up to and went to for help and he knew it wasn't his dad's fault that he was "the chosen one" but it really made James' life difficult sometimes.

"Something bothering you?" Anna said.

James hesitated before opening his mouth. "Yes." It was Anna. Sure she was a pain but he could trust her with anything. Right?

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Just stressed that's all."

"It's me, James. I'm not going to tell anyone." Anna gave him an encouraging look. Anything to get her mind off of her own issues.

"Well it's just- Hogwarts is going to be over soon and everyone expects me to be an auror. And well what if I don't want to?" James raked a hand through his hair. He was so frustrated. He felt like pulling his hair out.

"But I thought you wanted to be an auror?" Anna said.

"I do!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"I just- I don't know! I don't want people to expect me to because of my dad! You know Anna, it's hard to be me."

Anna stared incredulously at the boy sitting across from her. Was he kidding? Hard to be him. Yeah right. How about hard to be her? James had it easy. He didn't even know.

"What the hell are you talking about James Sirius Potter? You've got it easy."

"No I don't Anna. Merlin, do you know how big of shoes I have to fill? My dad is Harry friggin Potter. You can't really live up to that!" James voice rose an octave and his hands shook with frustration. He thought maybe Anna would understand but clearly he was wrong.

Anna let out a humorless laugh. "James don't you complain. You're dating the prettiest girl in the school, you've got top marks, you're rich beyond belief and you have parents who love you, you're head boy, and you got into the auror program that you want. You have no right to complain."

"Yeah, well it may seem all nice from the outside, Anna, but it ain't so easy from in here. Everyone thinks I'm going to be brilliant at stuff just because my dad was, well maybe I'm just average, huh? I have to work my arse off to scrape Acceptables. My dad was Harry Potter. My mom was Ginny Weasley. I have to do everything ten times better to get recognized around here!"

"Shut up! Would you just shut up! You're over here complaining about the stupidest stuff I have ever heard! Have you failed to notice that I have reached my breaking point? Huh, James?" Anna angrily brushed away tears. "You're not the one with no friends, you're not one who's boyfriend just broke up with her and you're not the one who's brother just got attacked by a werewolf! Okay? SO JUST STOP!" Anna's shoulders quaked with each shaky breathe she took.

James fell silent. Anna sobbed openly, her eyes all red and puffy and tears streaming down her cheeks. Merlin, he was stupid. It took him a few second to realize that he should probably say something but by the time he opened his mouth she was already saying something else.

"And the last thing I need is you getting all upset at me! So please James, just stop. Just please. I know we fight but you don't need to yell at me when you know I'm feeling awful. So I'll just be going now." Anna stood up, choking back a sob and started to drag her trunk to the door leading into the hallway. She wasn't going to sit here and fight with James, no, that wouldn't do her any good. She'd just wander around until she found an empty compartment where she could cry in peace.

Anna was already halfway out the door by the time James jumped to his feet. "Wait! Annie, come here. I'm such an idiot." James gently pried the trunk out of her grasp and wrapped Anna in the biggest warmest hug he could muster.

"James." She blubbered into his thick wool sweater. He led her back to the plush, velvet bench where they both sat down, Anna holding a fistful of James' sweater.

"Come on Annie, don't cry. Malcolm'll be okay." James said soothingly.

"You don't know that." She snapped. "And my social life will most definitely not be."

"Annie, they're bitches and you know it." James reassuringly squeezed her shoulder.

"But what if they're right? What if I am an insincere, mean person? What if I actually am-"

"That's a load of crap Anna. They don't know what they're talking about. You are the sweetest, kindest girl in the whole school and they know it. They're just jealous."

Anna sniffled and took a shaky breathe. "It's just not fair. I didn't do anything!"

"I know it's not fair." James affectionately wiped away a tear halfway down her cheek. He might hate her half the time but right now she needed him and he'd been a total jerk to her earlier.

"I'm sorry. I'm—I'll stop crying. I should stop. We're going to be at school soon."

"Shh, Annie, let it all out."

"I don't want to go back. I don't even want to see them again or him again." Anna rubbed her eyes.

"Well, you're going to have to eventually but for now, for as long as you want you'll stick with me. I've got your back, Annie."

James absentmindedly stroked her hair as her breathing slowed and she drifted off. It wasn't fair. Anna was the sweetest kid he knew and she didn't deserve any of this. He felt like punching someone. Anna was so sensitive and tiny and vulnerable and James didn't like the idea of other people messing with her. He could mess with her, of course. But anyone else-no, just no. That was not allowed.

He had been and idiot; yes. Anna always pointed that out for him. She wasn't afraid to tell him he was being a totally thick-head git and he loved her for that. He needed a reality check every once in awhile.

After what seemed like forever, Anna sat up and rubbed at her eyes, dragging the sleeve of her sweater under her red nose. She pouted at James before lacing her little fingers through his. Giving his hand a squeeze she gave a watery grin.

"Jamesie, you know I hate you most of the time but when I don't- well when I don't I love you a lot. So thanks."

"You flatter me, Annie." James grinned at her. "Now go blow your nose, you have snot running down your face."

Anna just rolled her eyes. He really was bad with emotions.

Sorry this took so long. I love you guys. If you reviewed it would actually make me day. You have no idea how much the reviews mean. XOXO