The Flower and the Badger

Chapter 4

Anna groaned as she slowly woke up. She shot up, thinking that she was still at the arena.
"Anna, it's alright!" Fred was by her side in a flash. "You're okay, you're safe now. Kingsley, Remus and I saved you!"
"F-Fred..." She gasped. She gripped his hand just to make sure that he was real. She started crying in relief when she realized that he was. Fred got into the bed with her and he held her close, letting her sob into his shoulder.
"I-I was so scared!" She cried. "A-and I couldn't control myself, I didn't have any Wolfsbane-"
"Ssh..." Fred said soothingly. "It's alright, you're safe now, and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you like that ever again." He wiped the tears off her cheeks before softly kissing her, and smoothing back her hair.

A few minutes later, Remus entered, Cody in his arms. The Crup barked happily when he saw Anna, and was quick to snuggle into her lap.
"I think it's safe to say that he's fully house trained now." Remus said. "When I left to look for you, he didn't have a single accident in the house."
"I'm sorry..." Anna whispered. "Savannah tricked me...she...she wasn't who I thought that she was."
"It's alright." Remus had considered grounding Anna, but he also realized that she had probably been through enough that she had learned her lesson. He pressed a kiss to Anna's head. "How are you feeling?"
"A bit sore." Anna admitted, and Remus chuckled. "That's to be expected, given what you've been through."
"Remus..."Anna bit her lip. "What happened...to all of the other werewolves that were there?"
"Kingsley returned with a large group of Aurors. The werewolves were rescued and they are now being given proper medical attention."
"And the...the hunters?"
"Are being rounded up and arrested as wee speak. Savannah's father has also been arrested and is awaiting sentence for the murder of his son."
Anna sighed in relief. Edward would be getting justice, he would be able to move on. "Good, that's good."
"I hope that you've learned your lesson." Remus said sternly, and Anna nodded silently as she looked down at her hands. He sighed and his face softened. "Anna, you have no idea how worried I was about you."
"I'm sorry." Anna whispered as tears filled her eyes. Remus was like a father figure to her. The thought of him being disappointed in her filled her with guilt.
Remus hugged her, gently so that he didn't hurt her, as he didn't exactlly know what kind of injuries she had sustained. Fred quietly got up and left, leaving Anna, Remus and Cody alone together.

It took the rest of the summer for Anna to completely heal, and she was released just in time for the beginning of school.
"Are you sure that you're feeling well enough to return?" Remus asked nervously as they walked into King's Cross station, and Anna rolled her eyes. "Remus, I've told you a dozen times, I feel absolutely fine now, good as new." Well, good as new besides the occasional nightmare that she had, but that was nothing that a sleeping drought couldn't fix. Anna walked onto the train, and Hermione foubnd her almost immediately. "How are you feeling?" She asked, and Anna insisted that she was fine. They found seats in an empty compartment, and Anna wondered what the future year would hold for them. Namely, how would Voldemort try to get to Harry this year. Because Merlin knew that it wouldn't be Hogwarts without some sort of drama involving her brother.
Cedric popped in and he sat down next to Anna. "So I heard from your lover that you had a rather eventful holiday."
Anna rolled her eyes. "Eventful is one word for it I suppose."
"Care to tell old Ced about it?"
"Mm, no thanks, I'm good." Anna laughed at the look of utter betrayal on Cedric's face.
"I thought that we were best friends! We're supposed to tell each other everything!"
"And yet you didn't tell me that your mother told all of your relatives that we were dating."
Cedric paled. "How did you find out about that?"
"Your mother wrote to me, he told me what a good pair that we made, and that everyone in your family agreed. Naturally I was quick to break her heart and inform her that you and I were most definitely not dating, and that we never would, considering that you're like an older brother to me."
"So that's why she was so pissy that night. Thanks a lot, Dad and I haad to eat a burnt roast that night."
"Oh please. Charred meat is good for you, it matches the color of your soul."

Hermione shook her head as the two continued to bicker. "Honestly, from the way that you two act, people would think that you were related or something."
Cedric flung an arm around Anna. "The truth is out. We're secretly twins that had been separated at birth."
Anna scoffed. "How can we be twins when I'm younger than you?"
"It's not your fault that you have a stunded brain growth."
"Cedric Diggory!" Anna shoved him. "You're lucky that I don't hex you!"
"Godric help me." Hermione groaned as the two continued to bicker. Needless to say, she was quite relieved when Cedric's friends came and dragged him away, and she and Anna talked of other things. Hermione tactfully avoided talking about what had happened over the summer, which Anna was thankfull for. It was definitelty not something that she wanted to reminisce over, and Hermione was all too glad to avoid the subject entirely. She didn't even bring up Richard and the Manor, whch surprised Anna. She thought that Hermione would have at least given her the 'I told you so' speech. Maybe Hermione figured that Remus had chewed her out enough. They just talked about classes and such until the train pulled into the Hogsmeade station.

A/N: I'm literally on the brink of sobbing because this is the year that Cedric dies and I don't know whether or not I'm going to kill him off or not.