"Are you scared, Drella?" George asked softly, fiddling with his hands in his lap like he does when he's nervous.

I didn't say anything for a couple of seconds, really thinking about the question. Was I scared of facing the people I believed to be my parents up until last night? No, not really. They were still mom and dad to me in my heart. But I did have some disease about the whole situation. How would this conversation go? How could it possibly end well? I didn't know the answers to these questions and that was the only thing that scared me, not actually seeing them.

"Only of what comes after," I replied truthfully. After I talk to them, after they confirm the truth, what would happen next? My mother-if she was actually my mother like Dumbledore assumed-was in a land beyond the living. My father was still unknown, and I had a feeling the only person who knew his identity was my mother.

"Well, no matter what happens. You'll always have us," Fred reassured me happily. George nodded in agreement.

"I thought you were supposed to be here to comfort me," I retorted with a playful smile.

"You wound me," Fred scowled.

I rolled my eyes at him, but smiled regardless. I was glad Fred was here to lighten the mood; these serious matters were beginning to bore me. Fred and George were here on their free period, making sure I was alright. My parents were supposed to arrive at two and it was currently 1:50. Renae was in Astronomy lessons until 2:30, but she wished me luck before she left.

"I'm sure it will be fine, Drells," George added, quietly. He's been doing that a lot lately. Talking less, not making many jokes, seeming drawn back. To anyone who wasn't one of his best friends, the change would be unnoticeable. However, I knew right away that something was wrong, different. Ever since the incident, I noted that George seemed more serious than usual, like he always had something important on his mind.

But I had more pressing matters to think about than why George was acting strangely. At that moment, Dumbledore and Mrs. Pomfrey appeared from around the curtain, giving me privacy from the others in the infirmary.

"Miss Wendling, your parents are here to see you," Dumbledore said cautiously, not sure how I would react. I wasn't even sure how I should react, so I simply shook my head and glanced over at the twins.

"See you later, AndI," Fred grinned, punching my shoulder in an encouraging way. I shook my head at the childish behavior I've grown to expect from him, but smiled nonetheless.

"Bye, Drella," George mumbled, following his brother out of my makeshift living space. I noticed him glancing back at me from the corner of his eye. There was something there, some emotion hidden deep down inside that I couldn't quite decipher. Whatever it was gave me butterflies. I'm still not sure if that's good or bad.

A second or two after they were gone, my parents came in. I always noticed we looked different, but I just thought it was because a few genes skipped their generation. Now I realized how different we really were. My skin was a bit paler than theirs, even though I spent hours in the sun. My hair was the palest shade of blonde, while they both had dark auburn hair. My eyes were bright green, my mother's were blue and my father's were brown. I was much taller than my mother, and only shorter than my father by a few inches. My cheek bones were higher than both of theirs, my face more narrow.

"Hi mom, dad," I mumbled, feeling awkward and out of place even though we were at Hogwarts, and they were the two muggles. I didn't even know muggles could get into Hogwarts. I guess that didn't matter though, because there they were, standing in front of me with nervous smiles.

"Oh, Andrella! I'm sorry we didn't tell you. We were going to, we just didn't know how to! Promise you don't hate us, baby. We still love you, you're still our daughter. Maybe not biologically, but you're still ours," My mom sobbed, coming around the bedside and pulling me into a desperate hug.

I was stunned silent for a second. My mother, although a very kind and loving woman, was never so straightforward with her emotions. She was a calm, cool, and collected lawyer with an amazing poker face. I've only seen her get this emotional a very few times, and they were all serious matters. Then again, I guess finding out I was adopted is a serious matter.

"I don't hate you, mom. I could never hate you, you're my parents. It's just…a lot to take in, you know?" I sighed, looking up at my dad for the first time. He had an apologetic smile on his face, never one for words. I smiled at him, too. I really did still love them and think of them as my true parents, it was just a lot to take after everything that happened.

"What happened? Professor Dumbledore only said that there was an incident where you had been attacked and that you knew who your real mother was," My mom asked, sitting down in the chair George had occupied since I had first been put in here.

I told them the story, leaving out the part where he saw me changing for my father's sanity. I hated how they looked so horrified and disgusted, when I was finished. For the first time in my life, I wish that I had a normal life, just to save my parents some pain.

My mom continued to hug me, and my dad's hand rested firmly on my shoulder. I let them, not knowing what else to say. What else could I say? There really wasn't a way to make this sound any better, if George hadn't acted at the exact second he did, I would be dead.

"You said something about your…mother. What does it mean, that you saw her?" My dad questioned, looking more serious than he usually did.

"Professor Dumbledore believes that since she is one of the Ismerete-someone in the land beyond the living that is all knowing-I died for a moment and she was there to welcome me," I explained calmly, knowing that telling my parents that I technically died wouldn't yield smiles.

"I have mind to just bring you home right now and never let you outside again," My mother exclaimed, but before I could protest, she continued. "But I know that you belong here, with people who have more advanced ways of keeping you safe than we do. We just want you to be safe,"

"I know, mom. The safest place for me to be right now is under the protection of the greatest wizard to date," I assured her, weakly. I was exceptionally tired today, weird dreams keeping me awake. It was just me, running through a endless mass of clouds.

"You're too kind, Miss Wendling," Dumbledore mused, entering the small place I've called mine for the past two weeks. "Hello again, Mr. and Mrs. Wendling. Can we persuade you to stay for dinner?"

"No, we really must be going, Professor. Thank you for allowing us to come today to see our daughter. There are many things we don't understand about your world, but we trust we are leaving her in good hands?" My father smiled kindly at the headmaster. I knew my parents felt out-of-place here and were probably very anxious to return to a more comfortable place for them.

"I'd like to think so," Dumbledore replied.

"Then we really must be going," My dad answered with a slight nod of appreciation in the headmaster's direction.

"Of course, I'll escort you back," Dumbledore offered. Turning to me, he added, "I believe Mr. Weasley is getting anxious to see you,"

I blushed lightly when I saw that George was standing just beyond the curtain. Oh wonderful, now they have a chance to embarrass me in front of him. In my mind, I quickly went over all the things that my parents knew that I'd rather die than have revealed to George. I figured that if they talked for more than two minutes, I would be taking a stroll into the black lake this afternoon.

"Uh, hi, Mr. and Mrs. Wendling. I'm George Weasley," George introduced himself awkwardly once everyone realized he was standing there.

"Ah, yes. We've heard a lot about you through the years. Pleasure to meet you," My dad smiled at him, extending his hand which he took sheepishly. It was very clear to me that my dad was observing him carefully. My mom glanced at me and him back and forth with a weird smile on her face that I'm not sure I even wanted to know the reason behind it.

"Only good things I hope," George laughed lightly, seemingly to regain his confidence.

"George, they said they heard a lot about you. If it was good things, they wouldn't know you existed," I retorted.

"Honestly, why am I even your friend, Drella?" George scoffed at my remark.

"Drella?" My mom raised her eyebrow at me. I flat out refused to let anyone call me that, even as a little girl. I knew my mom was curious as to why I let him call me that and still live.

"It's nothing, mom. Didn't you say that you needed to leave or something?" I insisted. It's not that I didn't like seeing my parents, I just didn't like how high the possibility of them embarrassing me was.

"Yes, Melinda. We really must be getting home," My dad helped me out. That was the good thing about my dad, he was always in tune to my emotions. It was pretty obvious that I wanted them to leave, and he must have picked up on that.

I said goodbye to my mother and father before they left with Dumbledore. I was very happy to be alone with George, and finally relax. I had been on pins and needles all day about their visit. Everything went better than expected. Yet, I still had so many unanswered questions I was afraid no one could help me with.

"So, when do I get to get out of here? I'm tired of just sitting around doing nothing," I complained.

"Mrs. Pomfrey said you can leave now actually, that's why I came back," he said happily, that goofy smile on his face again.

"Are you serious?" I asked, not able to fight my smile. I was so excited to just get up out of bed, and actually DO something. I hated being stuck here. I missed seeing all my friends. I missed pulling random pranks whenever I felt like it. I missed learning new spells. I even missed potions class. "Then let's gooooo," I squealed like a little girl. I didn't even care if I sounded childish, I was the happiest I've been in days.

I pushed the sheets off of my legs, and stood up. Way too fast, apparently because my legs gave out the second I put my full weight on them. On the way down, in attempt to grab something in order to balance myself I reached out for the thing closest to me. That thing turned out to be George, and I ended up pulling him right down with me. I'm not sure if I was more embarrassed by the fact that I fell and pulled him down, or that he was now laying directly on top of me.

I knew I should say something like sorry and then suavely try to get up and save what little dignity I had left, but no words would come, my entire body was paralyzed. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks, while those damned butterflies in my stomach went into a frenzy. How many times had I fantasized being in a position identical to this with him? I couldn't help myself, I was completely memorized just by his proximity at the moment and that glint of something oh so familiar in his memorizing brown eyes.

I don't even know how the next thing happened, if it even did. Maybe my imagination and desperate desire were playing tricks on me, but it seemed too real for that. The look in his eyes, how intently he was just staring at me, devoid of his usually joking and care free exterior, I knew that I couldn't have imagined it. The way I could have sworn that he was leaning down to kiss me, I couldn't imagine the emotion in his eyes even in my most vivid day dreams.

But then, and I swear these sort of things only happen to me, Renae came around the corner of the curtain.

Gawkily, George jumped up and offered me his hand. I took it just as feeling just as awkward, but still uneasy on my feet. I noticed that George was scratching the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his. I knew I was still blushing, I just prayed it wasn't as noticeable as it felt. Renae looked like a deer caught in headlights, blinking back and forth before George and I.

"Oh, hi, Renae. We were just, I just-"I floundered, not being able to think of any sort of excuse. Honestly, how the hell have I gone six years without getting in a ton of trouble. I was quite terrible at making up lies and cover stories on the spot, most of the time.

"She just fell and knocked me over. Bloody idiot thinks she'll be perfectly fine to walk without having used her legs in two weeks," George laughed. That was another nervous habit of his, making jokes. Of course, not many people knew that, seeing as he always made jokes, not just when he was nervous.

"Uh, right. Silly me. Anyway, Pomfrey said I could leave today! So I was just gonna go get my clothes…" I mumbled, looking down at the flimsy nightgown I was wearing.

"Right, why don't you help her with that Renae? I'll be back in the common room, meet me there before dinner?" George directed the last bit at me, giving me a hopeful smile.

"Of course," I replied, confused as to why George even had to ask. I always sat with Fred and him at dinner, unless of course I was mad at him, and I certainly didn't have any reason to be mad at him.

George nodded his head before swiftly making his way out of the infirmary. I absent mindedly stared after him, coming back to reality when Renae cleared her throat. I turned my attention to her, glaring her when I remember what she could have possibly interrupted.

"What was all that about?" She questioned, her hands on her hips and her eyebrow raised in a quizzing way.

"I have no bloody idea, Renae! And I don't know because of you," I grumbled, walking very slowly over to the dresser where my uniform was folded neatly.

"Geez, no need to get your knickers in a twist, AndI," She retorted, easily, closing the curtain completely before helping me out of my nightgown. She assisted me in the process of dressing, still a bit uneasy on my feet.

"Just stop talking and let's get out of here. I'd rather spend a week cleaning trophies with Filch than spend another night here in the hospital wing," I groaned, stepping into my shoes happily.

Finally, I was free. If only I knew that I would be seeing this place again way too soon for my liking, when I left it for the first time in weeks.