Not very long after Blaise had left the room, Draco used the accio charm to acquire his broom and took off out of his window for the lake. The wind blowing by him and the fresh air always cleared his mind. After several hours, he finally turned to head back to his room and get ready for the ball meeting. As he flew over the lawn by the forbidden forest, he saw Anne walking towards the forest. He knew he should ignore it and just go back to his room, but he couldn't. He had to know where she was doing. So, he flew low and began to follow her from a safe distance. She wandered in no particular direction it seemed for what felt like an eternity, until she finally reached one of the small clearings in the forest. Draco stayed in the woods, behind the trees and watched while she walked out into the middle of it and started talking to the ground. Draco couldn't hear anything, but it surprised him when suddenly a head of bright red hair sat up above the grass. It was Fred.
It took Anne a long time to get control of her emotions enough to get dressed and head to the forest. She knew what she had to do and it was the last thing in the world she wanted to do. So, she strolled slowly through the forest trying to prolong the time it took to get there. Finally, she reached the clearing where she knew Fred would be. She didn't see him, but she remembered that he used to come here to lay out in the grass and enjoy the quiet. It didn't take long to find him lying peacefully directly in the center of the field, as if he would sound asleep.
"Hey Fred." She finally said.
Fred eyes opened and he smiled when he saw her. "Hey beautiful."
She looked away, since she was about cry again. He sat up quickly confused by her actions. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly. "Did something happen with the Dark Lord?"
She managed to get her emotions under control enough to explain what happened with the meeting with Draco and the Dark Lord, as well as, most everything else that had been happening, except Draco's feelings.
Fred didn't say anything for a long time and then finally he stood up to face her. "What exactly are you trying to tell me right now?"
She didn't look up at him and just kept fidgeting with the box he had sent her with the ring in it. After what seemed like ages to Fred, she held it out to him. "I can't accept."
He took it sadly and she turned to leave. "Wait." He said earnestly. "Can you at least explain why? Or say goodbye? Or something?" he threw his hands up in the air. "Anything at all? So, I'm not so left in the dark?"
"I can't lose you." She said her back still facing him. "If they found out that any of this wasn't a charade, they would kill you in a heartbeat and make me watch helplessly." She spun around to face him. "Do you know what that would do to me? I'd rather you be alive, but not with me rather than be together and see you die!"
Fred stared for a moment. "Then leave it all behind. Run away with me. We can hide in America or in a jungle somewhere."
Now it was Anne's turn to stare. She couldn't believe what he was proposing they do. Run away? Escape to another country? Was it possible? … no, it wasn't. He would kill everyone close to her to find her and then kill torture her and Fred. They could never be together while he lived.
She shook her head miserably. "No, Fred, it's not possible. I can't abandon my family and friends like that. Do you know what lengths he would go to find us? It would never work and the answer to any problem is never to run away. I'm sorry."
Fred nodded painfully in agreement. "Did you ever love me?" he asked quietly.
Anne stiffened visibly and he eyes filled with fire. "How dare you ask me that! I'm doing this because I love you! I can't lose you! Please don't ask me to!" she collapsed to the ground sobbing. "This is killing me right now, but I know that if I do this there is a chance that we could be together after he is gone. Don't you understand that?!"
Fred quickly knelt beside her and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I was being selfish. Please stop crying."
She sniffed loudly and looked at him. "I know it's hard, but it's the best option right now. Please don't ever say I don't love you again. You nearly broke my heart."
Fred couldn't answer. Instead, he pulled her close and kissed her softly.
It didn't take Draco long to see what was happening between Fred and Anne. Even though he couldn't hear anything until she started yelling, he knew she was trying to protect him. He wanted to run and hold her when she collapsed, but he knew that was out of the question. She was Fred's girl, not his, and to top it off he wasn't even supposed to be here. He started backing away as Fred kissed her. I'm such an idiot. He thought as he mounted his broom to head back to the castle in order to get ready for the meeting.
sorry for such a long break. Here's a few chapters!