Mother's daughter

Chapter ?

Time was a funny thing, Anna concluded, when it came to her animal healing exams it seemed to disappear at a ridiculous rate but now it was dragging worse than an anchor on a huge ship.

Charlie and Remus had been gone for hours, Molly had already Floo-called twice to see if they were back, she seemed to blame Anna when they were not. Tonks was upstairs having a bath trying desperately not to let the stress affect the baby.

Anna continued to watch the clock with increasing anxiety, why were they not back? Were they hurt? Had they been kidnapped or worse…? She stood up suddenly and paced around the room. In a flash of green flames Molly's head appeared in the fireplace,

"Are they back?" she demanded without preamble,

"No, not yet" Anna replied in a voice of determined calm, just then there was a knock at the door, Anna started and withdrew her wand while Molly's head remained in the flames.

"Who is it?" Anna called at the door as Tonks came down the stairs wrapping a dressing gown around herself and checking that she was adequately covered up,

"It is I, Remus John Lupin, owner of this house married to Nymphadora Tonks usually known as Tonks who should be enjoying a relaxing bath" Anna relaxed and pulled the door open whilst Tonks smiled. The smile didn't last.

Remus was pale and scratched and was supporting Charlie who looked to be in the final stages of consciousness.

"Anna quick, he's lost a lot of blood! Bellatrix cursed him, I don't know what it was"

Anna froze, it was her nightmare, what she had been dreaming about for months, what caused her to wake up in the middle of the night covered in sweat, what made her lie awake after these nightmares after assuring Charlie that she was fine.

"Anna!" called Remus, the spell was broken, she helped Remus carry Charlie into the lounge and ordered Tonks to get her Healing bag from the kitchen.

"Charlie, oh my! What happened to him? I'll be there in a minute!" cried Molly, her head disappearing from the fireplace.

They placed Charlie on the sofa and Anna tore his shirt open to assess the damage.

"Anna what do you need?" called Tonks as Remus disappeared to let Molly in,

"I…need.."

"Anna!"

"Dittany and my wand"

"Here's the dittany, your holding your wand"

"Yes, of course" she set about to treat his injuries.

Molly and Arthur burst in followed by Remus,

"Get away from him you horrid girl, this is all your fault, we know who did this! Get away from him!" and Molly pushed Anna with such a force that she toppled off the small stool she was perched on and landed painfully on the corner of the coffee table,

"Molly!" gasped Arthur as Remus ran over to help Anna,

"I don't care Arthur! This is all your fault Annabella!"

"I KNOW IT IS!" screamed Anna,

"Charlie was fine and safe before you came along"

"Molly this isn't about Anna!" said Arthur quietly staring at his son, Anna knelt down beside him and continued applying the Dittany, Molly fell silent and sank into a chair sobbing.

"Will he be ok Anna?" Arthur asked

"I think so, it looks worse than it is, we better keep him down here until he's strong enough to move" Anna conjured a blanket and covered him with it.

"I'll go and make some tea" said Remus and Tonks waddled after him leaving the three Weasley's and Anna alone in the room.

"Thank you Anna" said Arthur,

"Don't thank her Arthur, it's her fault, it was her mother I knew something like this was going to happen"

"Molly she's just saved Charlie's life, he's lucky to have you Anna" Arthur smiled and Anna tried to return the gesture whilst Molly scoffed.

Remus returned with the tea and Anna excused herself to changed her blood soaked clothes, Molly's scowl followed her out of the room.

She climbed up the stairs slowly gripping her bruised side, she felt numb with shock, the shock of seeing Charlie so injured, the shock of Molly's anger but most of all the shock of Arthur's thanks.

Anna agreed whole-heartedly with Molly, her mother was bound to know of her and Charlie's relationship by now. She reached the small bathroom and had a quick shower allowing the water to mingle with the tears falling down her face. She then went into the bedroom that she and Charlie shared and pulled out a fresh pair of pyjamas, she glanced at the photo of Charlie and herself in a small bar in Romania, they were celebrating their one year anniversary, she was so happy yet Anna knew, as always she was scared.

Scared was one of the words that summed up Anna's life. When she was young she was scared of her mother, then of people who knew who her mother was, then when she left for Romania scared of people finding out who she was, scared of Voldemort returning and releasing her mother. Funnily enough Anna had never been particularly afraid of Voldemort, only her mother.

Anna pulled herself out of her thoughts and dried her hair with her wand. She then pulled on her dressing gown and walked back down the stairs. She walked into the lounge and saw that Molly and Arthur were still their talking quietly with Remus, Tonks and to Anna's enormous relief Charlie, who still looked pale but smiled as Anna walked in.

"Hi" he said quietly beckoning her over, she went over to him and sat down allowing him to place his arm around her,

"Charlie I…"

"Don't you dare say sorry Anna, it was not your fault" he wiped away a tear on her cheeks and pulled her into a hug, he squeezed her and she couldn't help the gasp of plain that escaped her lips,

"What's wrong?" he asked, whilst the occupants of the room looked awkward,

"Nothing I just tripped over earlier"

"That's not like you, Tonks really…"

"I take no offence to that" smirked Tonks,

Anna glanced towards Molly and saw to her surprise that the woman was still scowling at her, Anna blushed under the gaze,

"Mom please, Anna has just saved my life"

"I don't deny that Charlie but…"

"No buts mom, I love her" Anna looked at Charlie and smiled whilst Molly stood up quickly and began to walk out of the room,

"I can see where I'm not wanted, come on Arthur" she said with tears rolling down her cheeks, Arthur stood up and said goodbye, Charlie looked directly at his mother,

"I love you mother, but unless you start to see Anna as her own person I can see we are going to disagree, this is the woman I am in love with, this is the woman I will marry" Anna raised her eyebrows as the room went deadly quiet,

"Marry…I will not allow it!"

"It's not your choice!"

Molly burst into tears and Arthur bade them all goodnight and escorted her out of the room.

As they heard to door close, Remus and Tonks congratulated the couple and bade them goodnight and Anna curled up next to Charlie and they both fell into a deep sleep.

A/N Sorry about the wait, the next chapter will be up in less than 2 weeks. Please review!!!