"Annette, wake up!" Ginny's fearful voice filled Annette's dreams before she awoke with a start with her younger sister standing over her with tears in her eyes. Annette sat up and pulled her sister into her chest and hugged her close as she sobbed.
"What's wrong Ginny?" She asked and Ginny continued to sob.
"It's dad, Annie. He was attacked." Her words caused Annette to freeze as fear gripped her stomach.
"What?" She asked in disbelief. Her sister's sobs faded into the background as Annette's heart pounded in her head. Suddenly her head was swimming in despair as the door to the girls' dorm opened and Professor McGonagall walked in briskly, heading directly toward the Weasley girls.
"Miss Weasley, Miss Weasley come with me please. I'm taking you to your mother." Her voice was strained and Annette climbed to her feet, pulling her younger sister with her.
"Don't worry, Ginny. Dad's going to be alright....he will." She whispered as she hugged her sister to her and they met their brothers in the common room with Harry in tow.
"Harry, what..." Annette began but he shook his head turning away from her, his skin pale and sleek with sweat.
"Ron..." Annette turned to her twin and he hugged her shoulders as she allowed Ginny to be taken away by Fred and George.
"What happened?"
"Harry?" Annette's voice quivered as she slipped into her best friend's room. He sat up instantly and turned to face her, putting his glasses back onto his face. He could hear Phineas Nigellus in the background muttering about her intrusion but he didn't care what the old headmaster had to say about her.
"Annette? What are you…" He couldn't finish as he felt her arms around his body and her body pressed against his.
"Thank you so much. I don't deserve a friend like you!" Her words warmed his heart as he hugged her to his chest.
"You saved my father from certain death. I owe you his life." She whispered and Harry smiled.
"No, I owe you mine." He whispered back as she looked up at him in surprise.
"What?" She asked and Harry sighed.
"When I was fighting Voldemort, I almost gave up. I almost gave in to the desire to just let him kill me and end all the pain but then your face appeared in my head and I could just imagine you telling me it was the most cowardly thing I could do and that I couldn't be able to do it. So I owe you my life." He buried his face into the base of her neck and they sat there, basking in the silence.
"I love you, Annette…" Harry muttered into her skin and Annette tensed.
"Please don't say that Harry. Please don't." She pleaded as tears filled her eyes. She was hurting her best friend and she hated herself for it. At another time, she might have returned his feelings but now she couldn't. Not since she had fallen head-over-heels for Draco, and Harry knew that. She clung to his pajama shirt and tears flooded down her cheeks.
"Harry….please…." She sobbed as he pulled her closer, resting his head on top of hers.
"I'll wait…you know that. I will wait…" He whispered softly, wanting to ease her pain. Malfoy wasn't here and he was making her cry. Annette's sobs quieted after awhile and Harry took in her calm breathing. She had cried herself to sleep, he noted warily. She still clung to him like a lifeline. A slowly deteriorating lifeline.
How long could he wait?
How long could he watch her be torn to pieces by Malfoy?
How long could his heart bear to see her with another? The answer was not very long. He knew Malfoy would screw up. He always did.
"Merry Christmas!" Ron shouted as he swung the door to Harry's room open. He stopped when he saw Harry and Annette wrapped under a blanket together, his sister's head buried in his best friend's chest. His brothers came up behind him and stared wide eyed at the couple.
"What is taking you three so long?" Molly Weasley pushed through her sons and froze when she saw her daughter and her son's best friend asleep, together.
"My dear…" She whispered before smiling and stepping forward. She gently shook both Annette and Harry awake with a smile.
"Come along dears. Breakfast's waitin' for you in the kitchen." She spoke cheerfully as she ushered the others out of the room. Annette yawned and rubbed her eyes of the buildup of sleep as Harry did the same. She gasped softly when she saw where she was. Harry smiled easing her embarassment.
"You fell asleep and I didn't want to wake you." He explained as her mother smiled.
"That was very nice of you Harry dear. Now come along!" Molly spoke from the doorway as both Annette and Harry slid out of the bed. Annette smiled before she hugged Harry with one arm from the side.
"Thank you..." She whispered before disappearing out of the room. Harry sighed as he ran his hand through his unruly locks and he glared at the snickering painting.
"Poor Potter, the girl he loves loves a Slytherin!" Phineas teased as Harry slammed the door behind him, quieting the painting.
"Stupid painting." He muttered as he walked down the hall, scratching his head and yawning. He smiled when he found Annette having a sweater tugged over her head by Ron.
"Ow! Ron! Stop! This is stupid! Let go, you git!" She whined from beneath the fabric as Ron sniggered, pulling harder.
"Ronald, stop that right this instant! Be nice to your sister!" Molly chastised the teenagers as Annette punched her brother and her head popped out from the hole of the sweater.
"Git. I'm gonna put slug juice in your breakfast!" Annette threatened as Ron grimaced.
"Mum!" Ron whined.
"Mum!" Annette mimicked. Harry laughed as Fred and George appeared on either side of him with a grin.
"Oh Harry!" They forced a sweater over his head as well as Molly tried to keep Annette from pouncing on her twin.
"Annette Guinevere Weasley! Stop that right this instant! Act like a lady." Molly said as she smiled at Harry.
"Harry, dear, breakfast's waiting. We're just waiting on Sirius." She said as Harry nodded and smiled his thanks for the sweater that now covered his upper body.
"Hey Harry!" Annette beamed as she turned from her brother. Harry smiled at her and took note of the dark circles underneath her eyes.
"OH! Hey, Ron! Can I borrow Pig?" Annette asked as a look of remembrance crossed her features.
"Uh sure. I don't care." Ron answered as he stuffed a sausage link in his mouth.
"Ok, thanks!" Annette bolted out of the kitchen as Harry sighed. He knew who she was going to write and it hurt.
"Come on, Harry! Before Ron eats it all!" Ginny encouraged. Harry smiled and nodded sitting between Ginny and Ron, enjoying Christmas morning breakfast.
"Alright Pig. You know where you're going?" She asked the twittering owl in front of her. She sighed before releasing him out of the window. Draco wouldn't write back. He couldn't. She wished she were at home and not here. She sighed before turning back to have family time with her family. She froze when she heard a peck at the window and she turned to see a tawny owl carrying a parchment.
"What the..." She opened the window and allowed the owl in as she took the parchment off it's leg. It took off again and Annette stared at the chicken scratch handwriting that her name was written in.
Weasley,
I can't say much and you shouldn't write back. I just wanted to say Merry Christmas. I had to go through Dumbledore to get this to you. I hope you understand. Can't believe you actually left school with Potter...
Draco
Annette rolled her eyes before folding up the note and placing it in her pocket.
"Stupid Malfoy..." She mumbled before smiling and leaving the room.
"Merry Christmas Dad!" Annette beamed as she appeared in between Fred and George. The others had stayed back as the three covered their wounded father with Christmas decorations. They stood back and smiled at their work.
"He looks like a Christmas tree." Ron said as he came up behind his twin and she pouted.
"He does not." She retorted as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and laughed.
"Father why are we here?" All of the Weasleys froze as they heard the voice of their arch nemesis. Malfoy. Harry turned to see Annette's conflicted face as he smiled at her. She nodded and slipped from her brother's grip.
"I'm gonna go get some snacks. Harry, come with me."
