Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the Characters.

ANNIKA'S P.O.V.

It was four hours later and Annika was once again sitting in the living room of Remus's house with Ginny and Hermione, surrounded by clothes and makeup. Hermione was brushing her hair and Ginny was going through the different outfits.

"I can't believe I'm helping someone else get ready for a date with one of my brothers." Ginny stated.

"What do you mean?" Annika asked.

"Well, Hermione always askes me to help her get ready for her dates with Ron." Ginny answered.

"What can I say, Ginny the best dressed witch at Hogwarts. She can do wonders with an outfit. I, on the other hand, even though it doesn't always show, am an expert when it comes to hair." Hermione stated. "Is there anything you had in mind for it today?"

"I want it left down but not hanging in my face." Annika said.

"Okay, I know just what we need." Hermione stated.

She got up and walk over to a little box she had full of hair stuff and pulled out a little barrette.

One hour later...

Annika was standing in front of the mirror examining herself. Hermione had pulled half of her hair into the barrette and let it hang from there. Ginny had chosen a black skirt that came down to midthigh, a baby blue blouse that was slightly low cut and a pair of blue sandals with a small heal. She had on blue eyeshadow with some masscare and eyeliner, and a light pink lipstick. They had used the cream, Fred and George had given her, so all her bruises were hid. She looked absoulutely beautiful.

"Thank you guys so much." she said.

"No problem." Ginny said.

"Is there anything else we can do?" Hermione asked.

"I'm not sure what to talk about. Or how to act?" Annika answered slightly uncomfortable.

"Just relax and be yourself." Ginny answered. "If you want to talk about something then talk about it. But George barely ever shuts up so you should be okay with conversation."

"Okay." Annika stated. She looked at the clock on the mantle. It was six o'clock. "He should be coming soon."

"We'll go, then." Hermione said. "Relax and you'll be fine."

"Remember, it's just George. The same guy you've been spending time with for two weeks." Ginny said.

The two disappeared through the green flame. Annika took a deep breath, all kinds of uncertainties running through her head. What if she says something embarrassing? What if he decides that he doesn't like her? What if... A loud crack behind her made her jump. She turned around to see George standing behind her.

"I'm sorry." he said. "Did I scare you?"

"A little but I'm fine. I wasn't expecting you to apparate." Annika answered.

"I figured I do something new today." George replied.

Silence followed. Annika took in his appearance. He had on a pair of dress pants with a nice button up shirt and a tie. He seemed to be taking in hers in as well. At least, he was looking her up and down.

"You look beautiful." he said finally.

"Thank you." she replied blushing three shade of red. "You don't look to bad yourself."

"Thanks. I had help." he said and Annika noticed he was blushing as well. "Having brothers with experience helps."

Annika laughed then figured she'd make him feel less embarrassed.

"I had help too." she said. "Ginny and Hermione just left."

They both started laughing.

"So where are we going?" Annika asked.

"Back to my flat." George answered. "I talk to my mom today about where I should take you and she suggested that I cook for you. She said you would probably appreciate a home cooked meal more than anything else."

"You cook?" Annika asked amazed by that.

"My mom used to let me help her all the time and I really liked it. She gave me her recipe for the pork roast we had on Harry's birthday. She said you really enjoyed it." George answered.

"I did." she stated.

"Good. Shall we go?" George offered her his arm.

"I have to tell Uncle Remus that I'm leaving." she replied. "I'll only be a minute."

She went up the stairs to his study.

"Uncle Remus, I'm leaving." she said.

"Alright." Remus replied. "Be careful and if you start to get uncomfortable just tell him you want to come home."

"I know." she said.

"Have fun." Remus called as she walked out the door.

She found George waiting on the couch.

"We can go now." she said.

George held out his arm and she took it.

"Have you ever apparate before?" he asked her.

"No." she replied.

"Okay, all you have to do is hold on and relax. I'll do the rest."

"Okay."

Suddenly, she felt like she was being suffocated. It was over as quickly as it had started. She found herself standing in a kitchen, with a table in the middle. The table was set for two with a couple of candles burning in the in the center. There were two chairs on either side of it. She could smell the pork roast in the oven.

"Give me just a minute. I have to check on it." George said. "You can have a seat in the living room."

Annika wallked into the living room. It wasn't what she expected from men like Fred and George. It was quite settle. There was a couch, two armchairs and a coffee table. She sat on the couch. George came in a minute later.

"About twenty more minutes." he said and sat next to each other.

Awkward silence. Annika couldn't believe how easy it was to talk to him under normal circumstances but now she couldn't think of a single thing to say. She just sat there staring at the floor.

"So, I'm curious to know, how did you get my brother to see reason earlier?" George finally said.

"Well, I just told him what was obviously there." Annika answered. "I told him that Hermione wasn't interested in anyone else but him."

"And that worked?" he sounded impressed.

"I think he just needed to hear it from a someone who wanted nothing but the happiness of everyone involved."

"How did you become so good at giving advice? I mean I don't think there's many people who would take your advice, where you've been."

"I think I've always been good at it but I've just never been able to use it."

Another awkward silence. She knew what she wanted to say to him but couldn't figure out how to say it. Finally, the words just spilled from her mouth.

"Why me?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he responded.

"Why do you like me? I mean I'm ugly. I'm worthless. I'm a slut. I'm dirty and disgusting and...and..." she was too upset to continue. Tears were pouring down her cheeks.

She felt George wrap his arms around her and pull her close.

"What are you talking about?" he said. "You are the most beautiful, funny, and kind person I've ever met. And do you honestly think if you were worthless, Harry would try so hard to keep you. Or Hermione and Ginny would spend so much time helping you? And you're by no means a slut. You couldn't help what those bastards did to you. They are the disgusting ones, not you."

He rocked her gently until she calmed. She pulled herself off his chest and looked at him. She still didn't understand how he could possibly like her. Especially after what she did to Percy.

"But I'm the reason your brother will spend the rest of his life in Azkaban." she said.

"No, you're not." he told her. "He did that to himself. He chose to be a Death Eater, he chose to hurt you. The only thing you did was defend yourself the best way you could. Besides, I told you we've been trying to get rid of him for years."

She laughed at this. She did remember all the stories thee twins told her about Percy and what a pompous asshole he was.

"See, it's not as bad as you think. You are so beautiful and wonderful. It's hard to believe that you could come out of that hell and not have any fear."

"Believe me, I have a lot of fear. I worry everyday about being taken away again. I have to take a calming potion and a dreamless sleep potion before bed. That's how much fear I have. And it's only gonna get worse when I go to Hogwarts."

"Why?"

"Draco Malfoy."

"That's why Harry wants to teach you to defend yourself. Besides, one of us will be with you most of the time anyway."

"What do you mean one of us?" Annika asked. "You won't be there."

It broke her heart to know they wouldn't go further than this date because of the seperation detail.

"Damn it!" George said. "It was supposed to be a surprise on September first. We were gonna tell everyone right before we got on the train."

"Tell everyone what?" she asked curiously.

"Fred and I will be going back to Hogwarts for the year." he answered.

"What? How? Why?"

"Our mom talked us into it. She said she was worried about the uncertainy of the joke shop always supporting us. It might not also be popular. Plus, it might not always be there with the war and everything. We talked about it between the two of us and decided it might be a good idea if we had some N.E.W.T.S. to fall back on. We are gonna take some classes and work at the ministry if for some reason the joke shop isn't there anymore."

"But how did you get back in?"

"First we had to get permission from Dumbledore and he, of course, gave it. Then we had to appeal to the board of governers. We had to tell them why we left and why we wanted to come back. We stretched the truth a little."

Annika laughed. She figured they would come up with something good.

"We told them that we only quit because Umbridge's methods of discipline were scaring us." George continued. "I told you about Umbridge, right?"

Annika nodded and George continued,

"Then we said we wanted to go back because not having our N.E.W.T.S. wasn't helping much outside of school. We just got the letter of their approval today. We will be back on the Hogwarts Express with you guys."

Annika could only smile and blush. She felt happier knowing he was going to be with her. She knew she'd be okay with George and her big brother and their friends helping to protect her. The timer on the oven went off and George went to the kitchen to serve the dinner.

The rest of the night passed in more Fred and George stories with some Harry stories in the mix. She had never laughed so much in her life. It was easier after their first conversation when she realized he wasn't going anywhere. He took her home around eleven and kissed her goodnight, with the promise of another date.

When George left, Annika went looking for Remus and found him asleep in his room. She didn't want to wake him so she just went to her room to get ready for bed. She was in such a wonderful mood, she forgot to take her potions before she curled up into bed...

A/N: I would love to give a super huge thank you to fanfiction writer Hopelessly Pessimistic. I got the idea to send Fred and George back to Hogwarts from her and she so kindly gave me permission to use it. Thanks again