A/N: Sorry for such a long wait, I had been completely unmotivated until around 2 am last night. I've only had grammarly proofread it so if there's spelling mistakes or anything, feel free to tell me.
Even with the looming thoughts of the winter holidays on the backburner of Anya's mind, she found herself enjoying the last few weeks of term. Especially with the upcoming Quidditch match. Sitting in the stands, watching the game begin, Anya could appreciate why so many people liked the sport. Not to mention that Lee Jordan's commentary was absolutely hilarious. She watched the match with anticipation, unlike Hermione who seemed to hate watching. Strangely enough though, Hermione was the first to notice Harry's broom trying to buck him off.
"Guys, Snape's jinxing the broom!" Anya grabbed the binoculars from Hermione and sure enough, Snape was muttering ceaselessly under his breath without breaking eye contact with the sky. Hermione pushed past Anya saying, "I'll be back."
"Where- And she's gone," Anya muttered. Anya refocused the binoculars on the crowd, looking for Hermione. When she didn't see her, she looked back up at Harry, who was still somehow on the broom. Fred and George- who were the Beaters- were circling below him, hoping to catch him if he fell. After a few minutes of tense anticipation, the broom bucked violently and Harry nearly fell off, now hanging by one hand on his broom. "Hurry up Hermione," Anya muttered.
Suddenly, the broom stopped bucking and Harry was able to pull himself back onto it. Hermione appeared a few seconds later with a little bit of soot on her nose. Deciding that it was better not to ask, Anya turned her attention back to Harry, who was now on the ground. "Is he- What's he choking on?!" She refocused the binoculars just in time to see Harry cough out the Snitch. Anya wrinkled her nose. "Ew. Do you think it counts?" Ron shrugged. Anya, Ron, and Hermione walked down to the field, running over to Harry. Excitedly, Harry waved the Snitch at them, seemingly unfazed that he had nearly died. "I got the Snitch!" Anya giggled at the look on his face. Sirius ran up to him from where he'd been in the stands, hugging Harry. "Harry, that was amazing! James would've been so proud!" Harry laughed, making Anya smile. Harry's happiness was infectionate, because when she looked around, she saw Hermione and Ron smiling widely as well.
"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it!" Flint, the Slytherin Captain, was still complaining twenty minutes after. Obviously it wasn't against the rules though, since Lee Jordan was still screaming about how Gryffindor won. Anya was the only one who heard it though since Harry, Ron, and Hermione had all accepted Hagrid's offer to tea. Anya had declined, as she still had some Charms homework left that she needed to finish.
Walking back to the castle, Anya couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. Nervously looking around, every nerve on edge, Anya slowly let her wand slide down her wrist from where she kept it in her sleeve. "What's wrong, little traitor? Scared of the dark?"
Anya finally spotted the head of platinum blonde hair she'd been looking for. "I'm not overly fond of the snakes that hide in it," she said, glaring at Malfoy. He looked at her, moving away from his place where he'd been leaning on the wall. With an almost wistful smirk, he said, "You used to like snakes. Loved them, actually. What happened to you An?" The use of her old nickname caught her off guard.
"Don't think I want to tell you. Let me guess, your cronies are hiding in a corner, waiting to talk all about how you cornered me?" Malfoy shook his head. "No. Crabbe and Goyle are too busy stuffing their faces."
"Why should I believe you?" Malfoy smirked again. Then he shrugged. "You shouldn't."
Someone grabbed her arms from behind, wrenching her wand out of her hand. She tried to escape, but the person's hands were firm and she could barely move. Malfoy walked closer, sneering.
"You know what happens to traitors, An?" Malfoy smirked as Flint walked up behind him, his wand trained on her. "They get punished." Flint cast a cutting hex, making her arm sting and bleed.
"You'd know all about that, wouldn't you Malfoy? It's Daddy dearest's favorite sport," she spat, earning herself another cutting hex, this time aimed at her leg. She hissed at the pain, making them laugh.
Their laughter still rang in Anya's ears as she washed the blood from her arms in the bathroom, vaguely responding to something Moaning Myrtle was saying. This was the third time she had had to use the out-of-order bathroom, and Myrtle had taken pity on her. At least, that's what it seemed like.
"You get bullied again? I know how that feels. Olivia Hornby never left me alone, it was exhausting." Anya nodded, trying to get the dried blood off of her leg with a towel. "Myrtle, do you remember where I left bandages last time I was here?" Myrtle, who had been hovering- literally- over her shoulder, zoomed over to the third stall. Anya followed, limping. "Thanks, Myrtle." She finished cleaning up and with a wave to Myrtle, headed back to the common room. Walking through the portrait, Anya was greeted with the sight of Sirius sitting on one of the couches, a gaggle of Gryffindors listening to him as he told the story of the Great Prank of '74. She tried to subtly make it up the stairs to her dorm, but didn't succeed.
"Where've you been Anya?" Ron called from one of the couches, causing both Harry and Hermione to turn as well to look at her.
"Just got back from the library, why?"
"You're limping," Hermione said simply. Sirius stopped his story upon hearing this. Anya shrugged.
"I tripped on one of the trip steps on my way back." She went into the dorm before anyone could question her further.
Anya woke up screaming for the first time in a month. Extremely grateful that she remembered to put a silencing charm on herself before she went to bed, Anya snuck out of the dorm, careful not to wake any of her dorm-mates. She was shaking, but not from the cold. Walking out of the portrait hole, Anya wandered until she came across an unused classroom she was sure she'd never seen before. Opening the door, she saw a beautiful, ornate mirror not ten paces away. Cautious, Anya walked towards it, examining the inscription at the top. Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
It wasn't Latin, or French. Looking at the mirror, her brain made a small connection.
"I show not your face but your heart's desire," Anya said out loud. Curious now, she walked in front of the mirror, allowing herself to look at the reflection. She saw herself, albeit a little older, sitting with Harry in the frame, both of them laughing as she ruffled his hair. Both Padfoot and Moony from her younger dreams where there, looking at her with utter love. They were a family, she realized. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Anya went back to Gryffindor tower.
Heading up towards the roof- some third-year had mentioned how- Anya climbed the stairs, reaching the small door. She opened it and walked out a little ways before sitting down on the edge, her legs in between the bars of the small fence and her head resting on the rail.
Looking over the grounds, Anya suddenly wished she were someone else, someone who didn't have to worry about coming home for Christmas.
Someone who didn't have horrible nightmares that made them scream, someone with loving parents.
Anya cried quietly, allowing herself something she hadn't done in years. Tears streamed down her face, dripping onto her hands as she looked out at the grounds from the very top of Gryffindor tower.