The Flower and the Badger

Chapter 3

Anna woke up to see a man kneeling beside her, a piece of chocolate in his hand. "Eat this." He urged her. "It will help you feel better."
Anna took the chocolate and nibbled on it. "Thanks, um, whoever you are."
He chuckled softly. "Remus Lupin, I'm your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. And....I'm also your godfather, Anna Noelle Potter."
"What?" Anna's eyes widened. She wasn't even aware that she had a godfather. "You are?"
"Yes, I was quite close with your father, especially in school."
"What were they like? Can you tell me about them?"
"Patience." He said with a small laugh. "All in due time."
"But-"
"I promise that soon I'll tell you everything that you want to know, but for now, I think that you and Harry should change into your robes."

He helped her to stand up, and she went off to change into her robes, her mind reeling. She had a godfather...who would be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. She couldn't wait to talk to Harry about it. But she had to be careful. The last thing she needed was Draco finding out that she could talk to the dead. Merlin only knew how he would use that against her. By the time she had changed they were pulling into Hogsmeade. She got out, getting into a carriage with Alicia Spinnet and Oliver Wood. Oliver still seemed to remember their encounter on the train last year, because he eyed her nervously, as though expecting her to yell at him again. Anna merely gave him a sweet smile before conversing with Alicia, basically ignoring Oliver entirely.
"You've still got him scared." Alicia whispered with a small laugh. "I've never seen him this terrified of anybody."
"Well he deserves it." Anna responded. "He made a Potter mad, and this is what happens when you do that."
"I can't wait to see what you do if Malfoy finally pushes you too far."
"Don't even get me started on him." Anna groaned. "I can't believe that I have to deal with him for another five bloody years, it's gonna be absolute hell, especially with Parkinson and Bulstrode to deal with too."
"Rumour is that Bulstrode still has it out for you."
"It honestly doesn't surprise me. That girl is just like a bull."
They reached the castle and Anna sat down in between George and Lee Jordan.  Fred, of course, sat with Angelina. But honestly, Anna found that she didn't care anymore. Obviously Fred didn't have any of those kinds of feelings towards Anna, so she would have to move on.
"Anna!" Seamus called from down the table. "Are you going to Hogsmeade next trip?"
Anna nodded. "Yup!" The Grangers had signed the permission slip that she needed to be able to go.
"Well, I was wondering, if...um..." Seamus blushed as he grew nervous. "Maybe you would want to hang out with me? Maybe we can go to the Three Broomsticks and grab a butterbeer?"
"Sure!" Anna responded with a grin. "Yeah, that sounds like fun."
Seamus grinned at her. "Great!" He responded before turning back to Dean.
Ron was staring at Anna with wide eyes. "We haven't even been back a bloody hour and you're already going out on a date."
"It's not a date." Anna protested as she blushed darkly. "Seamus is just a friend."
"It's most definitely a date." Hermione said. "I saw how he was staring at you on the train. He most definitely was asking you out."
Anna pondered this as she took a sip of her drink. Seamus was nice, a good friend of Anna's. He was kind of cute too. Really the only thing that she had to be wary of was that at least once a year he managed to blow something up, practically blowing himself up as well. A small smile formed on her lips as she started to eat, not noticing the frown on Fred's face.

Fred had heard Anna's conversation with Seamus. Seamus couldn't go out with her, he wasn't nearly good enough for her. He wasn't paying any attention to what Angelina was saying, his focus was on Seamus, who was talking and laughing with Dean. He wasn't going to go out with Anna, not if Fred had anything to say on the matter.

Later, when they were all finished eating and making their ways up to their dorms, Fred stopped Anna in the hall. "We need to talk." He murmured, and Anna looked up at him. "About what?"
"Your date with Seamus. You shouldn't do it."
Anna raised an eyebrow. "Really? And why's that?"
"He's not good enough for you Anna."
"Not good enough? Wha- are you jealous or something?"
"N-no." Fred said as a blush tinted his cheeks. "Why would I be jealous?"
"You don't have any other reason why you would be keeping me from going out with Seamus." Anna shook her head. "You know, there's someone else I would have rather gone with instead, but he decided to ignore me for almost a full year and then decided to go and date someone else."
"What? Who-" Fred's eyes widened as he realized that Anna was talking about himself. "Anna...."
"It's fine Fred, you made your choice, and now I've made mine." Anna turned and walked towards the Gryffindor common room, storming up to her dorm.
"What's up with you?" Hermione asked as Anna plopped down on her bed. "Fred finally came to the realization of what an idiot he's been."
"He finally realized that you like him?"
Anna nodded as she got her pajamas on. "Yeah, a little bit late though, isn't he?" She undid her braid, running her brush through her hair. "I've moved on now.
"Have you?" Hermione asked skeptically.
"What are you talking about? Of course I have."
"If you truly have moved on then this wouldn't be making you as upset as it is."
"It's not making me upset."
Hermione nodded but it was clear that she didn't believe her. "Sure, whatever you say."
Anna sighed as she laid down. She truly thought that she had moved on from Fred, but now she wasn't so sure. She rubbed a hand over her face, mentally cursing whoever it was that had decided to make love and relationships so bloody complicated. She got underneath her covers and tried to fall asleep, but couldn't. She tossed and turned for an hour before finally drifting away into a restless, dreamless sleep.