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Chapter 7 The Most Romantic Gesture
Anna and Harry arrived outside of the Burrow. Anna turned to Harry and gave him a hug. Harry pulled away and looked her in the eyes. "Thanks for today, Harry. It was one of the best days of my life."
"Of course. I wouldn't have thought of someone having given Ms. Rowling my memories."
"I'm starved. I'm sure Mrs. Weasley has something delicious waiting." Anna ran towards the house. She knew George was there. After the day she'd had, she couldn't wait to make George keep to his promise to go to her apartment. Anna pushed open the door and stepped in, Harry just a few steps behind. She immediately scanned the room for George. Her heart sank when she didn't see him. Ginny got up from the table and walked to Anna and Harry, who had just stepped through the door as well.
"He's in with the children, Anna." Ginny said as she turned to her husband and gave him a hug. "How was your day?"
"We made some progress. Anna thinks that Ms. Rowling was being fed my memories."
"Really?" Hermione was suddenly next to them. "That would be a very complicated spell. Though not impossible. I'll have to do some research." Hermione walked away talking more to herself.
"She really is like that, isn't she?" Anna said laughing. She went to the table to sit down with the rest of the Weasleys. George came around the corner carrying Lily and Hugo who were all laughing. Anna caught George's eye and smiled. He was great with his nieces and nephews. George put Lily and Hugo down so they could run to their corresponding parents. Then he walked over to Anna, who he kissed on the cheek before sitting down. "How was your day in your work shop?"
"Brilliant. I have a few ideas drawn up."
"That's great. Are you still going to take me home? I mean I'd like to be able to get back to work. I also need to contact my family."
"Tomorrow morning."
"You promise?"
"Yes." Anna smiled at George. She was excited to see her cat as well as talk to her family. She loved the magical world but she missed her world too.
Supper with the Weasley family was always enjoyable. Anna felt like she had been here during everyone. She wondered if Ms. Rowling was doing well and hoped that she wasn't still being hard on herself. Everyone sat around the living room and watched the children play while the adults sat in groups talking. George was talking to Harry about taking Anna home.
"No one will suspect her to go home." George said.
"Aren't you being a little dramatic? I'm fine. Seriously, you two act like someone is going to pick me up and steal me away." Just as Anna said that Ron came over. He picked Anna up and moved her to the other side of the room. When he put her down, Anna couldn't help but laugh and hit him in the arm. "Oh, you guys are all nuts."
"Well I overheard your conversation and was trying to make the situation lighter. They are just trying to cover all their posts in case there is a bad side to this rather than a good side." Ron said.
"You may as well get used to it Anna. I'm the only one who gets her way around here." Hermione pitched in.
"What about Ginny? I highly doubt she just lets Harry control things." Anna laughed.
"I let him think he controls things. It's just I typically agree with him so I don't argue." Ginny said.
"Well I'll be just fine. No one even knows who I really am, do they?"
"I know it was your idea to go home, I'm just letting Harry know so he can come with in case he needs to find us."
"I'm okay with that then."
Once the kids started to settle down and rub their tired eyes, it was time for everyone to say good night. George and Anna were the last to leave. Mrs. Weasley gave Anna a tight hug and told Anna she was happy to have her in their lives. Mr. Weasley hugged Anna and told her that everyone had chipped in and gotten her an owl of her very own. He would be waiting for her at her apartment before she got there. She smiled and thanked them both before George took her arm and they apparated back to the shop.
The next morning, George awoke early to get breakfast made before taking Anna home. He was nervous about taking her home. He knew that he would have to be here while she worked, but she promised to write and he would apparate there when she got off work. He knew she was right when she said that they needed to still be their own persons and get back to normal lives. He knew they needed to go slow with things, because there was a lot going on now. He also knew she was missing her patients.
George knew this stage of infatuation would end someday. He just hoped that underneath the infatuation was a love like Ginny or Ron's. He wanted to have a deeper connection with Anna and he hoped her going back to her world and visiting her or having her visit him would give them that rather than drifting away from each other. They had talked last night about their situation. Anna had said it would be easier to have a long distance relationship than people she knew, because he could apparate to her. She also said with the new owl everyone had given her, she'd write all the time.
Once George had finally gotten out of his bed, he made to go to the shower, but found Anna already in there. He apologized for walking in on her and left to make breakfast. He'd shower afterwards. George made two plates of cakes and sausages appear and put a warming charm on them. He heard Anna go back into her room, so he went to shower himself.
After his shower, George came out to find Anna waiting in a set of deep purple robes. She looked beautiful. Her hair was even curled. He kissed her cheek and they had breakfast together. It was an awkwardly silent breakfast. George knew he should say something.
"We're having good weather today." He said without looking at the window.
"It's raining." Anna stated. Her head was turned towards the window. George looked over.
"Oh, sorry. I'm just nervous about being separated from you."
"I told you, we'll be just fine. Honest. You'll love the muggle world. I know because I'll be there." Anna laughed. George loved her laugh. He grabbed her hand and squeezed.
"I know. I'm just scared that this is just infatuation and that we won't have anything once this stage is over. We fell in love so fast."
"We won't know unless we try. After all, Harry survived the killing curse because of love. Voldemort lost two wars because he didn't believe or understand love. Love is always worth the risk, even if that risk is an unknown future."
"You're so smart. And beautiful." George leaned across the table and kissed her. "Let's get you home." Anna smiled and stood up. He cleaned the dishes with a wave of his wand. Anna took hold of his arm and together they disapparated to her apartment.
The room was smaller than George remembered. He made a mental note to get Hermione to do an undetectable extension charm on it. Then made a note to ask Anna before just having Hermione do it. Anna ran to her bathroom and came out carrying a calico cat.
"This is Spooky." Anna said with a big smile. George petted the cat. He wasn't a big fan of cats. Anna put Spooky down and grabbed a cord attached to the wall. "Ah my charger. Good I can finally turn this back on. I'm sure I have a lot of messages." Anna hooked up a tiny black thing she called a cell phone to the cord. "Oh! And I need to clean the litter box. No wonder it stinks in here." Anna went to the bathroom again. This time George followed.
"Here, let me." He said. With a wave of his wand he cleaned the litter box. "Even wizards have to clean up after their cats." George shrugged.
"Thanks. I could have done it though." She said as they walked out of the bathroom.
"I know, but I wanted to help. I know you have a lot to do today. Hermione said she was able to get you off for another 3 days, so you can go home and see your parents in person."
"That woman is amazing." Anna said laughing. "Thank you so much. It feels good to be home." Anna turned around to look her apartment over. "I'm sorry it's so small in here." She walked over to the kitchen and saw a piece of cloth over what George knew to be an owl cage. It had a bow on top. She took the cloth off and saw a beautiful Snowy Owl. She gasped in surprise.
"They're native to here, Hermione said. And they got you a male."
"He's beautiful. I don't know what to name him."
"Who was your ultimate favorite 'character' in our world?" George laughed at saying the word character.
"Severus. I always had faith in him, even after he killed Dumbledore." Anna looked at George.
"The same faith Dumbledore had in him."
"Yes. I couldn't believe it when he killed Dumbledore and I never saw the whole him loving Lily thing. I just knew he wasn't bad. That somewhere he had a good heart."
"Well then there is your answer."
"Severus." Anna said to the owl. He hooted in return. "He likes it!" Anna unlatched the cage. Severus flew out and landed on Anna's shoulder. He pecked at her hand affectionately when she went to pet him. He was small; a child still.
"They left you owl treats and food."
"That was exceptionally nice of everyone."
"They're grateful to you. I got you this." George pulled a package out of his pocket. He had shrunk it down. After he made it big again he handed it to Anna who opened it slowly. Inside he'd packed ink, a few quills, and lots of parchment. "To write to us with. Don't forget to take Severus with you to your parents."
"How do I explain an owl?"
"I asked. They said to tell your family the truth. I'll see you in 3 days. I love you."
"I love you too. Thank you for everything." Anna hugged and kissed him. George took her hand and squeezed it once more before he apparated home.
Anna was returning home from her trip to her parents. Her family hadn't believed her story, until she sent Severus to George and Hermione asking for help proving she wasn't crazy. Until Severus returned she tried to show them her robes and tell them anything she could remember. They told her she had taken her Harry Potter obsession too far. That was until Severus returned with Hermione and George's proofs.
George had sent her a magical joke. His proof was an Extendable Ear. She showed her family and while they said it could be new technology, the way the owl had returned her letter and the package itself, they knew it wasn't as unbelievable.
Hermione had sent her a copy of Hogwarts, A History. After Anna had shown them online that no book truly existed, her family had believed her. They apologized for laughing at her when she was younger and agreed to keep it to themselves.
Anna and her family spent the rest of their time together catching up. She learned her little brothers were still not getting along, which wasn't new, and that her parents were buying a manufactured sectional home. They were going to move it to their farm and tear down their old one. She was excited to see what it looked like when it was finished. Anna was happy that they were getting a new house. Their old one was falling apart.
After their time together, Anna was reluctant to leave. She spent the whole drive home wishing she could spend more time with them. Her brothers were getting older and she felt like she was missing out on their growing up. She was homesick by the time she got home. She laughed at herself. She was at her home now.
She had a great time with her family, yet she missed George terribly. She knew she'd see him in the morning after she got off work. He'd be done with his day and she would be done with her night. It was a great compromise. She knew she'd have to explain her whereabouts, but they'd given her a great cover story.
After she got home to her family she came down with Influenza type A. She was finally allowed to come back to work. She had the documentation to prove it; thanks to Hermione. Anna was grateful for everything her knew friends had done for her. Now that the excitement had calmed down a little, she was starting to enjoy the world she'd grown up with. Now she just had to get back to her own world.
Anna walked into her door, sat Severus' cage down, and threw her purse on the table next to the door. Only it hit the floor instead of the table. She glanced around her apartment. It was bigger. There was a full living room, dining room, and a huge kitchen straight from a magazine. She turned to the right and looked into her bathroom. It was bigger than her whole apartment used to be. There was a double shower, a whirlpool tub, and a double sink. Obviously a toilet, but she hadn't expected the rest of it. She walked into the bathroom and noticed a door around the corner of the shower past everything. That was new to her. She went through the other door.
Anna nearly fainted. Behind the door was a huge bedroom. A king sized canopy bed was between two giant windows. There was a huge television and entertainment stand across from the bed. She looked to her left and saw another door. She opened it, still in utter shock.
A huge walk in closet full of clothes. On the left were clothes she'd wear out with her friends, on the right hung a bunch of different robes, and at the back hung all of her uniforms. She was at a loss for words. Anna wasn't sure if she should be angry or grateful. She didn't want to be spoiled like this, yet at the same time she loved the space she gained.
Anna left her awesome new bedroom and headed back to the kitchen. She needed some water. She walked into her living room and noticed another door leading out. This room contained her home office. All her previous studies including the new seminars she'd been taking to keep up on her knowledge of her profession. A perch was located in this room. It was big enough to hold a cage as well as room for just Severus to sit upon.
She left to get that glass of water. Entering first the dining room, then the kitchen, Anna was greeted with another surprise; a pair of glass doors. She pushed the doors outwards. There was a balcony that had a wonderful view. There wasn't a prettier view than that of George Weasley standing on her balcony with two bottles of butterbeer and a single, red rose.
