Chapter Four:
"I want you to know Luna that I will never leave you. Believe me."
Luna awoke sitting straight up in her bed. Breathing hard she covered her heart and whimpered and then without a noise Harry was at her side. He held her and she started to breathe normally again and looked up at him...he had been sleeping...had he stayed the night? She could barely remember her own name let alone what had happened the night before but she knew what had happened nothing could change that.
"Shhh...I am here. No worries." Harry whispered stroking her hair and Luna began to breathe slowly.
"Hi." Luna said and Harry laughed. Luna smiled and looked up at him, his hair was sleep-worn and his glasses askew but he was still here and that was all that mattered to Luna. Setting his glasses straight, he shifted so that he wasn't pressed against her.
"How are you feeling? OK?" Harry asked and Luna nodded. "You scared me last night." He said and Luna turned sharply to face him.
"I did?" Luna asked and Harry took her hands and shook his head. Luna never had anyone who had worried about her, her mother, but she was gone now.
"Yeah, I didn't know what I would have done if something had happened to you." Harry said.
"I didn't know anyone cared for me." Luna said and Harry took her face in his hands and held her to his eyes.
"Don't say that. I care. I always will." Harry said and Luna took his hands and kissed them and smiled at him.
"How do I know that, that is true?" Luna asked and Harry pulled her close to him and hugged her tight.
"I want you to know Luna that I will never leave you. Believe me." He kissed her softly on the lips and he lay down with her and she slept, her first full night of sleep in a very long time.
Morning broke and the word of what had happened to Luna Lovegood spread like wildfire. Dumbledore had called a meeting between his four confidants and tightened the guarding and added Luna Lovegood to the protections list, putting Sirius Black in charge of her.
"We need you to be able to watch them at all times. You know you assignments. They are to be watched. Were they go you go. I have informed all the teachers, they will help when necessary. I have placed strict orders on the Forbidden Forest which will be called at dinner but until then I want you all to know that if you see anyone going in the Forest that you should tell one of the Order immediately if not myself first." Dumbledore said and they all nodded. They left and headed to the specified charges. Breakfast began and all attended absent Potter and Lovegood who were being watched in the Hospital Wing.
"I cannot believe this is happening. What are we about to do? We don't have homework and our only job is to watch out for the Gryffindor trio and friends so they don't get their silly necks into trouble." Pansy said and Draco laughed.
"I like the no homework policy. I really do." Draco said chewing on his pancakes. Pansy glared at him and then she sighed as she watched her charge, Ginevra Weasley stand and make her excuses.
"No if you will excuse me gentlemen I have a charge to follow." Pansy said flipping her hair and stalking off.
"She really needs to sort out her priorities." Draco snorted and turned back to his juice.
Potions began with high surveillance, the Ministry had sent many Aurors to stay in classes until the end of the week, the second Hogsmeade trip, which had been planned to get the older students out so that the Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw common rooms could be updated and checked for anything suspicious. The first and second years would be at a Cannon's game that Oliver set up to help. The Cannons would play Puddlemere United, as they had Fred and George Weasley as Beaters. Snape came in and ordered the homework passed up.
"Now, Mr. Weasley, were is your homework?" Snape barked and Ron jumped back and then looked at him.
"Why are you asking me when Malfoy, Parkinson and Zabini don't have it either?" Ron snapped and Snape didn't say anything for a moment.
"Turn to page 1,258 Mr. Weasley. You now have double homework for the rest of the year. There is your first assignment. Get going." Snape said. Ron's face turned red and then he stood.
"I knew it. I knew it, you are all hiding something. You think we are so stupid. But as you know we will find out. You know it and you are just waiting out the inevitable. And now I know it has to do with Hannah. I want to go see Dumbledore. Now." Ron said and Harry and Hermione stood at the end.
"Fine. I would like to see you three find out." Snape said and pointed to the door. "Remember Weasley, double homework, due tomorrow."
"You can't just shut us out! We have been saving this school for the past five bloody years!" Harry shouted.
"You don't need to know. You do fine not knowing. Christmas is coming up, you don't need to get in trouble before then." Dumbledore said.
"You can't do this to us! If there is something that is life threatening to Harry, or any of us, we should know." Ron cried.
"Step any further Mr. Weasley and I will take drastic measures and keep you locked up until Christmas." Dumbledore threatened. They left Dumbledore's office and headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts, which they were already thirty minutes later for, and headed down the corridor when Hermione stopped in her tracks grabbing onto Harry's arm to stop him as well, and Harry stopped Ron.
"What is it?" Harry asked Hermione and she shook her head and lifted a finger to her lips to signal for quiet.
"I heard something—or someone—behind us. I think we are being followed." She whispered and Harry turned to look behind Hermione but didn't see anything out of place, or anyone behind them.
"I don't see anything, what do yo think we should do?" Harry asked and Hermione shrugged her shoulders and Ron turned to face both his friends.
"Someone is following us. I can be certain. Have been for a while I suppose. I have had the feeling of being followed for some time and I don't know who is doing it." He said.
"I have had the same feelings. I haven't said anything because I don't want to be thought as going nutters but I am officially crept out." Hermione replied and Harry agreed.
"Let's just get to DADA and when we get to the common room we will figure something out." Harry said and they continued along their way and didn't even see the person behind them.
The common room was uncrowded when she snuck in, knowing what she was supposed to do; she went closer to the fire and pulled out the bag that she knew would be there. Pulling it she heard the portrait swing open and she peered over the couch and watched her past walk into the common room, slinking to the ground she heard him call out and then he picked up his stuff and took it upstairs, knowing this her only escape chance, she started to dash for the door. Running for the door, realizing that she forgot the bag, the whole reason she risked her neck to sneak in here. Turning back she went for it but was stopped.
"Anne?" A voice said. Turning she saw him at the top of the stairs. She ran. Out of the portrait hole and as fast as she could. She could hear him behind her and her name being called. She continued to run and it led her outside where students beginning to go since classes let out.
"Fred?!" She watched as Fred stopped and waved a hand and went back after her. Anne turned a sharp corner and ran into someone making her and the young man she ran into tumble to the ground. Fred caught up to her and pulled her to her feet. Looking she saw that she had run into none other than Harry Potter, who by her standards, looking exhausted.
"What are you doing here?" Fred asked turning her to look at him. She looked down and he took her chin in his hand.
"I don't have to explain myself to you. I don't, you have no control over me any longer." She said and Fred looked at her and smiled.
"I always will. And you know it. I want you to always control me." He said and Anne pulled away and ran.
"Fred?! What are you doing here? And...who was that?" Ron asked as he ran up.