My Mind Never Sleeps (Part Three of the Weasley Trilogy)

I was having the same dream. It's been a whole year and the memories still came back to me. 

My then boyfriend's face staring up into the nothingness of the night sky. Me gripping his hand with all that I had in me. Bellatrix laughing from behind me. 'Come on Fred, wake up. We have to go.' 

I spun around on my heel and pointed my wand at my mother. Her face dropped into a pleading look.

And before I can finish the final incantation, I'm pulled back into reality, Fred's arm wrapped around my waist, our legs tangled together. 

He was running his hand through my hair and shushing me. I didn't realize I was crying, but I was, and I didn't want Fred to see me like that. 

"I'm okay," I told him, untruthfully. But the tears wouldn't stop and he cradled me into his chest. 

"Shh. No you're not, Ana. I know you aren't okay." I closed my eyes and breathed out, somewhat happy he could see through my facade. "You keep having these dreams. I'm worried about you...and the baby." 

I nodded. "Me, too." 

He wiped the sweat dripping from my forehead. "Talk to me, Anabelle." 

I gulped. "It's always the same...I try to keep the memories away. I really do. But it's so hard. Bellatrix killing you. I probably wouldn't be alive right now, if it had happened." 

Fred chuckled. "Calm down. I'm okay, aren't I? I'm still here, aren't I? Bellatrix isn't even alive anymore. You don't have to worry. All that matters at this moment is us, and that little witch or wizard living inside of you." He poked my nose, and I couldn't help but smile slightly. 

"You make that sound so creepy," I joked. 

He shook his head. "It is very creepy." We both chuckled, and Fred went back to rubbing my stomach. 

I settled my head back in the crook of his neck. I sighed. "I just sometimes...I don't know." 

"You sometimes what?" 

"I sometimes feel like it's not over yet. Like one day, you're just not going to be here anymore, and I'm going to have to do all of this by myself. And I'm not ready for that, Fred." 

"Why would you think that?" 

"Because I'm a pessimist," I joked. 

He rolled his eyes at me, a small smile on his face. "Go back to bed, Anabelle." 

I turned over on my side and allowed Fred to reposition his body against mine from behind, arms wrapping around my waist, legs getting caught into a mess. I could feel his heart beat against my back as he slowly fell back asleep.

The past few years have been downright horrid, and I'm happy that you readers have decided to stick with me through it. But if you haven't been there, here's a brief play-by-play. 

I've known the Weasleys since my first year of Hogwarts. They became my home when I lost my father when I was 10 years old. A year later, a man named Dumbledore came and picked me up at the orphanage and brought me to my destiny where I met my best friends, Fred and George, along with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley, my little brother-in-law (insert 'awe's here). We spent years of trouble-making together, and one summer day, Fred confessed to me that he'd liked me for awhile. Later on, we fought the Battle of Hogwarts, where I thought I had almost lost him, but after a year of searching for me, we found each other again, and here we are. Oh, and somewhere in there I met a girl named Xyla, but she comes in later. 

But like I said. This was the most brief I could get. If you would like more information, please read the first two installments in this trilogy. :) 

So, I didn't sleep for the rest of the night, silently thinking to myself about what's going to happen within the next year.The last two had gone by so fast, it's hard to believe I was actually there. I never thought my life would be this fucked up, but here you have it. The life of Anabelle Tobias. One ginormous soap opera. 

And here's where Xyla fits in. 

"Ooooooooh, ANAAAAAA." 

I swatted at my friend's face, desperately trying to find a deep dark hole to crawl under. I grabbed Fred's arm and threw it across my face, blocking Xyla. She sighed in exasperation and I smiled in victory. Just as I was about to fall back asleep, water began dripping on my neck, and all at once, I was surrounded in a wave.

We both screamed and sat up. I sat in the cold water, trying to make myself not freak out about the fact that I am IN WATER. Fred, on the other hand, ran out of bed and booked it out of the room after Xyla, who was screaming and laughing. 

"NO FRED, I ALREADY SHOWERED THIS MORNING, AHH-----." Her screams were cut off by the gurgling of water. I laughed loudly, having to lay back in bed and hold my stomach. Once I couldn't hear Xyla screaming anymore, I crawled out of bed and walked into the bathroom to find Fred holding Xyla in the bath tub as he sprayed her with water from the shower head. A huge smile was on his face and I leaned against the doorway to watch the beauty that is Fred Weasley. 

A few seconds later, I heard George bounding up the stairs, obviously hearing Xyla's echoing voice. 

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HER?" he screamed at his brother. Fred looked at George with a look of guilt and dropped the shower head on the ground, quickly grabbing my arm and pulling me into our room again. We could hear Xyla laughing her arse off outside and George chuckling at his balistic spouse. 

Before we could even get changed out of our wet clothes, they came running back in without knocking.

"Well, that was one of the most refreshing mornings I've had in a while," Xyla joked. I walked downstairs with her and Fred, and then leaned against the counter, ready to make her terrified of me.

I glared at her. "You know I hate water, Xyla." 

She shrugged. "I figured you'd have Fred there to protect you," she cooed. God dammit. It's impossible to scare Xyla anymore. I have this effect on Fred and George, and I've lived with them for years. Xyla is different.

I looked to Fred in the kitchen, who winked at me and sent me a sexy smirk. I winked back and gave him my biggest smile. 

"Anyways, Ana. Go get dressed. We're going out today." 

I blinked. "Okay. Anything to get me out of working the shop." 

George and Fred gasped. 

"No offense." 

We lived above Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, getting up early on weekdays to work, and doing this until 8 at night. It was rather exhausting, and I was just happy to get out of the house. 

"Sorry, darling. You're going to have to give her up to me for a few hours," she told Fred. "We need to go baby shopping." 

And on the inside (and a little on the outside) I groaned.