Chapter 42 – The Wedding

Four hours later Anna and Harry Apparated to the Burrow. Harry wearing a set of black dress robes with silver trim and a white rose pinned on to the front. He had attempted to gel his hair to make it look decent, with Anna's help it they managed to make it look better. They arrived in the midst of chaos, Mrs. Weasley was running around getting last minute things ready. Ginny was no where to be seen, Hermione and Ron were organizing everyone, Remus, Lupin, Sirius and James were showing everyone to their seats and the other adults were sitting in the garden in their seats talking while some were trying to control the children.

"Oh, hello Harry dear," Mrs. Weasley greeted him. "Ron wants you to go outside and greet everyone." Her eyes rested on Anna, and she pushed Harry out of the way shoving plates into his arms and she hugged Anna.

"You are going to steal the spot light today," Harry whispered when Mrs. Weasley let go and walked off muttering about teenagers. "Go upstairs Ginny is waiting for you up in her room, second on the left on the second floor." Anna nodded and walked the upstairs to Ginny's room she entered the room and stopped as she saw Ginny standing in front of the mirror. She looked beautiful, white dress robes that flared out above her stomach and concealed the fact she was pregnant very well, the robes were made of light silk with embroider flowers. She had her red hair down and straight it fell onto her shoulders gracefully. There was a kind of glow around her that illuminated her features.

"You look beautiful," Anna said quietly, Ginny smiled at her and pulled Anna into a hug, a kind of hug she hadn't felt in a while, it felt like a motherly hug. Anna had missed that and she needed it right now.

"How could they do this to such a beautiful person?" Ginny said when they had let go.

"You're glowing," Anna observed trying to dismiss the comment Ginny made but the blush that crept onto her face gave her away.

"It's called sweat, from morning sickness," Ginny replied, Anna was grateful she didn't push her into finding out what happened. Anna stayed in Ginny's room the whole time she was getting ready. After a while Ginny got on the subject of Anna being back.

"You realize how much your dad missed you?"

"I guess so."

"How much everyone missed you. You have only been in our lives for not even a year and everyone loves you like a daughter, niece, sister, girlfriend. They will be so glad your back."

"I don't want everyone to be happy I am back today I want them to be happy for you."

"Anna no matter how much you don't want the attention it will be yours," Ginny said it with such sincerity and without a hint of annoyance or malice Anna was shocked. Her father was a lucky man to find someone who would not mind being in the spotlight on their own wedding day.

Anna stayed in the room getting ready until 12pm when Hermione came in looking equally as beautiful as Ginny. She was wearing the same robes as Anna, light blue with gold trim; Hermione had her hair into a bun at the back of her head with a few strands falling loosely around her face. They went down stairs and Anna and Hermione's dates Sirius Black and Ron were waiting for them in the living room.

They walked outside and down the isle up to the front where Harry was waiting to one side with Dumbledore in the middle. Ron went to stand next to Harry and Hermione and Anna stood beside Dumbledore on his left. Anna looked over the crowd to find all eyes staring at her. She tried to shrink into the decorations that were set up behind her and she moved back slightly behind Hermione. She caught Lupin's eye and tried to hid her emotions. All of them conflicting. Anger, betrayal, love, hope. He gave her a smile and she had to look away before she broke down into tears again.

It was a few seconds before the flower girl, Diana, Fred and Angelina's daughter, came. Most of the attention was now directed at Diana but Lupin was still gazing fixedly at Anna. However, when Ginny started up the isle on the arm of her beaming father all eyes were on Ginny. She still seemed to glow sweat or no sweat. She kissed her father on the cheek and he handed her hand to Harry.

The ceremony was full of emotion and smiles and tears of joy, and Anna was one of them. When it was over Mr. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George and Ron put the chairs away and conjured up tables by magic. They all sat down to eat, Anna sat with Remus, Lupin, Sirius, James, Lily and Jason. She was nervous about seeing them again, she had seen them during the wedding but now was different she would have to interact with them. At first the talk was quiet and forced. Everyone stealing quick awkward glances at Anna then looking away.

"I hear you are going to South America in September Lily?" Anna asked and Lily started telling them all about her trip, and after that it was as though Anna had never been away. They all talked and laughed Anna even managed a small chuckle. She was however avoiding Lupin's gaze. This was very hard however as he looked even more handsome than usual, maybe it was because she hadn't seen him since the end of term and he didn't have Alison drooling all over him. She was not sitting next to him or across from him so she just needed to not look left and she was fine. She didn't really know how to act around him or what to say to him just now. When she left he hated and resented her and Harry had been very vague in details about his help in the search.

When they finished the tables were moved to the side and the garden was turned into a dance floor. Harry and Ginny had the first dance and everyone followed after. Anna sat on the side watching for a few minutes. Lupin was dancing Lily around, when Ron came up to her and asked her to dance, which she gladly did. When it came time for the father-daughter dance Harry and Anna danced in silence.

"Are you mad at me?" Harry asked suddenly. Anna was taken aback at this, it took her several seconds to reply.

"No why would you think that?"

"Because you have hardly smiled all day and I keep thinking you might secretly hate me for marrying Ginny." Anna sighed.

"Dad I am not mad at you for moving on with your life I like Ginny a lot but it's just… I wish I could just do the same forget… move on… whatever." Harry stopped dancing and pulled her into a hug. She gripped around his neck tightly and buried her head into his shoulder for the second time that day. She felt his hand on her head stroking her hair and he kissed the top of her head. These small gestures gave her hope, hope that she would forget in time. She finally realized he hadn't wanted to give up on her and again she felt guilt settling in the pit of her stomach, she was so stupid for acting the way she did.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled but she knew Harry had heard her.

"It's ok, don't be sorry. It's not your fault." They stayed that way for the rest of the song and when Anna pulled away she wiped her eyes Harry spoke to her again. "You might want to go to the bathroom and freshen up."

She walked through the deserted house and when she came out of the bathroom she turned to go down the stairs but she walked into something solid. Strong arms held her before she fell backwards. Panic filled her, memories of lack of control were coming back to her she needed to moved she couldn't be held down.

"Let me go please, please just let me go don't hurt me," she said her eyes closed reliving the terrors that seemed so real. The arms let go of her and she backed against the wall breathing quickly her heart racing.

"Sorry, Merlin I am so sorry Anna, its ok," Lupin said he looked panicked as well.

"What do you want?" she asked quietly, steadying herself and standing up straight.

"I want to talk to you, and you won't talk to me so I had to corner you. Seems that wasn't the best idea I have had," Anna snorted, that was for sure.

"Alright," she said and led him into the room nearest. It was Ginny's room and still had a few wedding things in it from this morning. There was an awkward silence when they just looked at each other from opposite sides of the bed. Anna took in the blue eyes that made her melt, and the curly blond hair that framed his face, he had cut it so it just above his ears, she wondered when he had done that. Then the image of Alison and him on the train crept back into her mind and she looked away.

"I'm glad your back," he said and Anna raised an eyebrow. When she didn't say anything he continued. "I'm sorry for acting the way I did. I was an idiot, it just came as a shock that you are Harry Potter's daughter. I wasn't expecting it. I'm sorry, will you give me another chance," he said looking down at his feet. Anna didn't say anything she wanted to say yes but she couldn't, not just now.

"Why was it such a shock?" she asked.

"Well your Harry Potter's daughter the most famous wizard ever," he said looking at her now.

"Yeah he is, but your friends with the son of Sirius Black and you are at a wedding with Albus Dumbledore, so how is Harry Potter such a big deal?" Anna asked and as she did Lupin wouldn't meet her eyes again.

"Well you didn't tell me and I wasn't expecting it," he said defensively moving around the bed closer to her.

"So you react by not speaking to me and then getting back with Alison and then when I tell you how I feel you don't do anything. My guess is you wouldn't have done anything if I hadn't been kidnapped." She said turning to face him and slowly backing up to the wall.

"I never got back with Alison she literally threw herself on me that day. I was sitting there with Remus and Alison came in and sat down next to me, and you saw how she was. I never wanted her back things were so much better with you. Alison was too predictable it was to boring. You kept me on my toes never knowing what was going to happen next. It was unbearable when I found out you weren't coming back, when your dad said they had killed you I couldn't take it --"

"But it took that for you to realize what I meant to you? I wasn't special enough before?" Anna asked tears in her eyes.

"Well what would you have done if it had been me?" He asked taking her hands in his own. He looked down at them and rubbed his thumbs over the back of her hands.

"I would have been shocked quite rightly, but then I would have remembered that you had told me there were things about you that you couldn't tell me," she replied. He didn't say anything.

"Please forgive me," he said and before she could say anything else his lips had touched hers. Lips she hadn't felt in too long, but no she was mad at him she couldn't let him get away with this. He had hurt her beyond words. She pulled away, and walked past him and to the door.

"You never answered me? Wasn't I special enough before?" She asked and opened the door and walked down the stairs and Apparated home.