Ann sat on the deep mattress of the four-poster bed. She was alone; the other girls were in the common room with the other students, meeting the new first years and celebrating their return to classes. She breathed in and out, still shaky from the dinner conversation.
I don't know if I can do this. How long can I keep this from them?
Tears trickled down her face as she struggled to not sob aloud. She was shaking all over, her fists clenched until her nails cut into her palms, blood seeping up around her nails and staining her gown.
You're so stupid, Ann. She heard his voice in her head. No one will love you if you tell them. No one loves you, no one but me. They'll hate you, Ann. They'll know what you are.
"No. No. I can't let anyone know," she whispered fiercely.
The door burst open. Ann lunged backward against the headboard of her bed as Hermione, Ron and Harry piled into the room, laughing and shouting good-naturedly.
"Ann! Come out and meet everyone!" Ron yanked back the hangings. The three stopped, silent.
Smeared across the crisp linen sheets were bright, bloody handprints. Ann huddled against the headboard, a blanket clutched tight under chin. Harry was shocked to see that she was shaking hard enough to rattle the sturdy wooden bed. Ann was white and clammy, her eyes huge and terrified.
"Please. Go away," she whispered, closing her eyes.
"Ann, what's wrong? Are you sick?" Hermione sat on the edge of the bed and reached to feel her forehead. Ann flinched violently, lost in a terrible memory.
"Don't touch me," she gasped. "Don't!!"
Ron pulled Hermione to her feet. "I'll go get McGonagall. Stay here and make sure she doesn't throw up or anything." Ron sprinted from the room, slamming the door behind him..
Hary and Hermione stared helplessly across the bed as Ann dissolved into harsh, racking sobs. "Harry, what do we do? What's wrong with her?"
"I don't know, Hermione." They jumped as the door behind them creaked open. Hermione leaped off the bed and slammed it shut, locking it from the inside. "Good idea. Make sure that door stays shut until Ron gets back."
Harry wanted to hold her, wanted to gather her up and hold her close so she would feel safe. Instead, he fiddled with fringe on the bedcovers.
A loud knock sounded at the door. "Oi! Hermione! It's Ron, let us in." Hermione unlocked the door. Professor McGonagall rushed in, followed by Ron.
"What's wrong? What's happened?" McGonagall hurried to the bed.
"We don't know, Professor. We came in to ask her out to the Common Room and she was like this." Hermione peeked out around the door.
"Oh dear. I see. I'll take her to the infirmary, then. And I think a word with the Headmaster is in order, as soon as that's done. The rest of you go back to the Common room."