CHAPTER NINE:

Third Person P.O.V.:

It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. Each was so angry with the other that both, Charlie or Harry couldn't see how they'd ever make up.

Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks's attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, said he hadn't bothered to keep a close enough watch on him, and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting that Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds. Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on his head in the Leaky Cauldron.

Hogwarts was changing by the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.

As for Harry and Charlie, they managed to avoid their friends bickering for a while, as they were pretty focused on the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. They ended up winning, of course, now that Harry had the best broom in the world to catch to Snitch. But, Charlie took notice that Harry didn't celebrate their win quite like he was expected to. Instead, he was enamoured by the Ravenclaw Seeker, Cho Chang. She was shorter than Harry by about a head, but still, the boy couldn't help noticing, as nervous as he was, that she was extremely pretty.

Charlie couldn't help but laugh at his friend's new, undeniable crush, but reality hit him like a ton of bricks when he realized that Harry was going down the same path that Charlie had gone down with Hermione. Harry, similar to Charlie, was under the impression that there could be something more between him and the girl he fancied, when in reality the girl just saw him as a friend...

The only times Charlie and Hermione would talk would be in group scenarios where Ron, Harry, or even Neville or Ginny were present, but even then, it was minimal. Unlike before he got rejected, Charlie hadn't reached out to her individually anymore, out of fear of provoking feelings that quite obviously, weren't reciprocated.

He had to move on.

He had to.

If he didn't, he was going to spend every minute of every day for the rest of year wondering how he had been so wrong. The mere thought of it destroyed him. He hadn't even realized the extent as to which his feelings had developed until the moment where she rejected him - when it suddenly felt like his entire world fell apart.

When did things get so complicated?

Charlie and Hermione were friends. That's all they were ever meant to be. So, why did he allow himself to feel the way he did? Sure, they shared a couple moments, but developing this... crush...

...that was completely unexpected.

The brown eyed boy was pulled from his thoughts at the sound of the school owls swooping down, which focused his vision back on the Great Hall, where he sat having breakfast with Ron and Harry.

Hedwig had landed on the table with an envelope clasped in her talons. Harry gave her a small pet, before tearing open the letter and reading aloud:

"Dear Harry, Charlie, and Ron,

How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle.

WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN.

Cheers,
Hagrid"

So at six o'clock that afternoon, Harry, Charlie and Ron left Gryffindor Tower, passed the security trolls, and headed down to the entrance hall.

Hagrid was already waiting for them.

"All right, Hagrid!" said Ron. "S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night and Sirius Black, do you?"

"I've already heard all abou' it," said Hagrid, opening the front doors and leading them outside.

"Oh," said Ron, looking slightly put out.

The first thing Charlie saw as they approached Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out in the middle of Hagrid's pumpkin patch, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. The brown eyed laughed slightly at the fantastic beast before a frown appeared on his face; he suddenly remembered Buckbeak's inevitable fate - Malfoy just had to ruin everything, didn't he?

Charlie averted his eyes from the hippogriff as they walked inside Hagrid's small hut. The half-giant instantly poured them some tea, as they sat themselves down by the fire, and offered them a plate of scones but they knew better than to accept; they had had too much experience with Hagrid's "cooking".

"I got somethin' ter discuss with you three," said Hagrid, sitting himself between them and looking uncharacteristically serious.

"What?" said Harry simply.

"It's about Hermione," said Hagrid.

Charlie's ears instantly perked up, "What about her?"

"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat -"

"- ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.

"Because her cat acted like all cats do," Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do -" Hagrid shifted his gaze to focus specifically on Charlie, "-No' ter mention, she said that yeh an' her bin kind o' weird as o' late."

Ron scoffed, "Who cares?"

Harry's face fell slightly, as he addressed his two friends, "Maybe Hagrid's right..."

"Wait," Charlie interjected, trying to backtrack, "What else did she say about me?"

Hagrid didn't even try to hide the small smirk that appeared on his face, "Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh in yer sleep, Char. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you three not talkin' to her or ignorin' her -"

"If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!" Ron said angrily. "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"

"Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets," said Hagrid wisely, turning his gaze towards Ron.

Hagrid's words provoked a sense of guilt in all three of the boys, whether they wanted to admit it or not. They had to fix things with their friend, that part was obvious.

They spent the rest of their visit discussing Gryffindor's improved chances for the Quidditch Cup. At around nine o'clock, Hagrid walked them back up to the castle.

---------------

That night's sleep had been restless for Charlie. He had so much on his mind that it was nearly impossible for him to fall asleep.

Imagine the look of irritation when Charlie had finally fell asleep, only to be awoken in the middle of the night by Harry.

Charlie groaned as his eyes focused on his friend, "You better have a good bloody reason for waking me up right now."

Harry laughed slightly before pointing towards the Marauder's Map in his hands, "Look."

The brown eyed boy quickly sat up as Harry shoved the map in front of him. As Charlie looked down, he furrowed his brows as the name, Peter Pettigrew, appeared walking down one of the many corridors.

"I though he was dead?" Charlie said in the utmost confusion as he looked back up at Harry, who held his wand in his hand. It was lit so he was able to read the parchment.

"So did I."

As the two shared a confused glance, Ron bolted up from his bed in a frantic panic.

"Spiders!" He said in a scared tone before his saw Charlie and Harry, "The s-spiders! They want me to tap-dance! But I d-don't wanna tap-dance!"

Charlie couldn't help the amused smile that crept on his face, "You tell those spiders, Ron."

"Yeah!" Ron said, as he lowered himself back down to his pillow, "I'll t-tell them!"

The ginger was out like a light as soon as he hit the pillow again, causing Harry and Charlie to burst out in a muffled laugh. As they settled down, Harry looked down at the map once again.

"I think we should follow him," he said before moving to his bed and throwing on a hoodie before heading for the door.

Charlie sighed before throwing off his bed covers, slipping on a pair of shoes, and pulling a shirt over his bare torso. He reluctantly followed Harry out of the dorm, through the common room and towards the name on the map.

As they walked, their own names drew closer and closer to Pettigrew's. They moved down a dark corridor, that Charlie couldn't recognize with the lights out. He immediately took out his wand and said, "Lumos."

The now illuminated paintings were snoring soundly as they continued to move forward. Charlie squinted down the corridor for any sign of Pettigrew while Harry looked down at the map. Pettigrew appeared to move quickly down the adjoining corridor. He was about twenty yards away. Then, ten - only seconds away now.

His wand trembling in his hand, Harry looked up from the map to the dark corridor ahead, Charlie walking alongside him without saying a word. Then, as the three names on the map were about to collide, the two boys turned the corner slowly, only to be met with... nothing.

Charlie blinked in confusion. Pettigrew was supposed to be right here! The brown eyed boy didn't even hesitate to look back down at the map. Harry looked down as well to see Peter Pettigrew's name pass by them. Charlie furrowed his brows as he looked up once more and casted his wand along the walls.

"Watch it there, boy!"

Both, Charlie and Harry jumped instantly. But the voice only came from an old, grumpy-looking man staring back at them in one of the portraits.

"Sorry," said Charlie softly, as he lowered his wand.

Harry moved to follow Pettigrew once again before coming to an abrupt halt to which Charlie looked at him curiously.

"Oh great," muttered Harry before showing Charlie the map once again.

The light emitting for Charlie's wand illuminated across the parchment and almost instantly found a name approaching them that caused the boy to curse under his breath; Severus Snape.

"Mischief Managed." muttered Harry, before folding up the map, and stashing it away as Charlie extinguished his wand. However, much to their disappointment, Snape had already spotted them.

Soon enough, they were met with with Snape's harsh glare as his own wand illuminated the hallway.

"Potter. Hawthorne." He spat, "What on earth are you two doing wandering the corridors at night?"

Harry stuttered under Snape's intense gaze, "W-we were - er -"

(A/N: Harry looked the best in PoA, just sayin)

"Sleepwalking." Charlie said simply, challenging Snape's gaze.

A sneer curdled it's way onto Snape's lips, "How extraordinarily like your father you are, Hawthorne. If always amazes me how highly he thinks of himself, and it appears you're no different. You think you're quite clever, don't you?"

Charlie growled, "I'm nothing like my father."

"Sure you are," Snape said with a twisted smile before looking at Harry, "Just as Harry is to his father. He was exceptionally arrogant, Potter. Strutting around the castle -"

"My dad didn't strut," Harry interjected angrily. "And nor do I."

Charlie smirked victoriously, "I think we'd both appreciate it if you lowered your wand, Professor."

Snape eyed the two boys with a cold glare, trying to contain himself. Nonetheless, he lowered his wand.

"Empty your pockets,"

Charlie and Harry looked at one another, but didn't move.

"I said," Snape spoke, his voice raising slightly, "Empty your pockets."

Finally, the two boys obliged. Charlie showed the inside of his pyjama pockets, while Harry pulled the map from his hoodie.

Eyeing the map with a newfound glitter in his eyes. He took the map from Harry's hands and said, "And this. What might this be?"

Charlie joked, "Alright, fine you caught us! Lock us up for a spare bit of parchment..."

But Snape wasn't amused quite like Harry was, judging by the looks plastered on both of their faces. Harry was beaming, while Snape's face scowled even more, if that was even possible.

"Really..." Snape dragged before looking at the map and pointing his wand to it, "Reveal your secrets!"

The two boys watched in horror as words began to appear on the parchment. Snape studied their facial expressions, a sadistic, half-smile formed on his lips as he pushed the parchment into Charlie's chest, "Read it."

The brown eyed boy shook his head in disbelief as he read the parchment out loud, much to Harry's look of terror, "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs offer their compliments to Professor Snape and..."

"Go on," Snape sneered.

Charlie glanced up at him with a huge smirk on his face, "and request that he keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."

Snape's smiled dropped as Harry broke out into a fit of laughter - he was nearly rolling around on the floor.

Severus wasn't pleased, "Why you insolent, little-"

"Professor...?"

A voice called from behind him.

From the shadows, Professor Lupin had arrived and looked at the scene before him with a slight brow raised.

Snape sighed as he turned to meet Remus' gaze, "Well, well. Lupin. Out for a little walk in the moonlight, are we?"

Lupin ignored him as he looked to the two boys, "Harry? Charlie? Are you two alright?"

Before the boys could answer, Snape interjected, "That remains to be seen. I've just confiscated a rather curious artifact from Mr. Potter and Mr. Hawthorne, here -" he reclaimed the map from Charlie's hands before handing it to Lupin, "- Take a look, Lupin. This appears to be your area of expertise. Clearly it's full of dark magic."

Lupin took the parchment in his hands, and Charlie witnessed a small smile creep up on his lips. It was almost as if he was familiar with -

"I seriously doubt that, Severus." Lupin addressed as he looked up, "It looks to me as if it merely insults anyone who tries to read it. I suspect it's a product from Zonko's in Hogsmeade. Nevertheless, I shall pursue any hidden qualities it may possess. As you say, it is my area of expertise. Come now, boys. Goodnight, Professor."

Harry or Charlie didn't dare look at Snape as they left the corridor. They walked with Lupin all the way back into his office before speaking.

Charlie opened his mouth to begin to plead for some sort of understanding, "Professor, we -"

"I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. He glanced around the empty office and lowered his voice. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map,"

Harry and Charlie looked amazed.

"Now I haven't the faintest idea as to how this map came into your possession," Lupin said to the two of them, "but quite frankly, I am astounded that you didn't hand it in. Did it never occur to you that this, in the hands of someone like Sirius Black, is a map to you?!"

The two boys shared a nervous glance before slowly shaking their heads simultaneously.

"No."

"No, sir."

Lupin stepped towards them, "You know, both of your fathers, although not the closest of allies, weren't known for obeying by the rules either."

Remus turned to Harry, "Your parents gave their lives to save yours. And here you are, gambling their sacrifice by wandering the castle unprotected, with a killer on the loose. What a poor way to repay them."

"And you," Lupin continued, this time shifting his eyes to Charlie, "Both, your father and grandfather have been working relentlessly on endorsing safety precautions while Black is on the loose. But how can they expect anyone to abide by their guidelines, if their own blood won't do the same? You're setting a horrible example. There are expectations you must live up to because of who you are, you must realize this!"

Charlie cowered under Lupin's gaze after that while Harry looked in disbelief out of the window.

Remus sighed, "I won't cover for the two of you again. Let's not make a habit out of this, shall we?"

Lupin then tossed the map on his desk, and began to sort through some papers. Charlie and Harry shared a glance as they lingered in the room for a moment before turning to walk towards the door.

All of a sudden, Harry stopped causing Charlie to look at him in confusion.

"Professor," Harry said softly, causing Lupin to look up, "Just so you know, we don't think that map always works. Earlier, it showed someone in the castle. Someone who is known to be dead."

Lupin's ears had perked up, "And who might that have been?"

The boy with glasses looked to his friend for some help. Although reluctant on sharing the information as he wasn't sure about which side Lupin was on, Charlie nodded his head slightly before saying, "Peter Pettigrew."

Lupin hesitated ever so slightly to which Charlie noticed - this boy notices everything. Then, the Professor returned to his papers.

"Very well," he said slowly, "I'd like you two to return to your dormitories now, please. Oh and boys? No detours -" Charlie watched as Lupin tapped the map with a smile on his face, "- if you do, I'll know."

With that, the two boys headed straight for Gryffindor Tower once again, neither of them being able to shake off the curiosity as to why Pettigrew appeared on the map in first place.

----------------

The next morning, Charlie, Ron and Harry had just finished their breakfast in the Great Hall before heading off towards the Divination classroom. As they walked, they spotted Hermione down the hall, walking by herself.

The three boys shared a glance. They hadn't been given the opportunity to talk to her since they went to see Hagrid, but now seemed as good a time as any.

"So," Ron whispered, as they stopped to plan what they were gonna say, "Who's saying what?"

Charlie furrowed his brows, "What do you mean?"

Ron gulped slightly, "Like how are we going to go about this apology thing?"

"We?" question Harry who shared the same look as Charlie, "Last time I checked, you were the only one genuinely mad at her. Charlie and I haven't done anything remotely as bad as you have."

The ginger was in disbelief, "What? We're supposed to be in this together!"

Charlie laughed, "You were the prat, which means you have to fix it your own mistakes. As for me, I'll be glad to start us off."

With that, the brown eyed boy ran down the hallway toward the girl he had been desperately trying to avoid. However, the boy had come to realize, since his conversation with Hagrid, that he needed Hermione in his life no matter what they were to one another.

As he approached her, it didn't take Hermione long to realize what was about to happen. She was dreading this conversation as she didn't know what it entailed. Things were bad enough between them, she didn't want things to get worse.

When Charlie stopped in front of her, he flashed her a smile before breathing out a small, "Hi."

As much as she tried to fight it, a small smile instantly crept up on Hermione's face as she looked to the eyes of the boy she had so desperately missed, "Hi."

"So, I was wondering if you'd like to sit with us in class today," Charlie offered, quite nervously. He didn't know what he was gonna do if she declined. "Divination hasn't been the same without your sarcastic remarks at Trelawney."

Hermione laughed slightly before a frown appeared on her face, "Thanks for the offer, Charlie, but I don't think that's a good idea..."

Charlie furrowed his brow again, "And why is that?"

"Things aren't the same," She explained, "Ron's mad at me, Harry hasn't really talked to me, and then there's... well... you..."

"What about me?" The boy said playfully, stepping a little closer to her just to mess around.

Hermione was trying to avoid his gaze, but her heart beating faster was undeniable, "We haven't talked much since..."

"Ah, right." Charlie said truthfully as he looked into her eyes, "Look, I'm sorry. I'll admit, the whole rejection thing was a bit hard on my ego... but having you in my life as a friend, is a whole lot better than not having you in my life at all. I've missed you, Hermione. I don't think you'll ever understand how hard its been not being able to talk to you everyday, or hear your laugh, or see you smile -"

"I think I have a pretty good idea," Hermione said as a blush crept up on her face.

Charlie smiled bashfully, "Yeah, well, I just want us to go back to how things were. So, if you'll accept my apology for being an absolute prat, I'd really like us to go back to being friends again."

Hermione frowned slightly at the word, friends, but quickly shook it off as she came to realize that she needed him in her life - regardless of the title he had. They were friends, and that was just going to have to be good enough...

"I forgive you," she said sweetly, to which Charlie smiled widely.

"Great," he said cheerfully before turning around and calling Ron and Harry over, "One down, two to go."

As the two boys approached Hermione, the ginger gave her a small guilty smile.

"Ron," Hermione spoke first, "I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers..."

"Oh - well - he was old," Ron said nervously. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, mum and dad might get me a new owl to make up for it. Besides, you shouldn't be apologizing, I was pretty rude towards you and for that I'm sorry."

Hermione was taken aback but smiled nonetheless, "You're forgiven."

Then her gaze shifted to Harry to which he just smiled and engulfed her in a hug, "I'm sorry!"

The bushy haired girl laughed before Charlie and Ron had joined the hug as well.

Suddenly, everything fell back into place.

This was how it was supposed to be.

The four of them, together.

As they broke apart the bell had rang to signal the start of class, together they climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. Harry, Charlie, Ron, and Hermione sat down together at the same rickety table.

"I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby.

"Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Charlie muttered back.

"Yeah," Harry added, "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands."

"Good day to you!" said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows. Parvati and Lavender quivered with excitement, their faces lit by the milky glow of their crystal ball.

"I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," said Professor Trelawney, sitting with her back to the fire and gazing around. "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."

Hermione snorted.

"Well, honestly...'the fates have informed her'. Who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" she said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Harry, Charlie and Ron had all choked back laughs.

It was hard to tell whether Professor Trelawney had heard them as her face was hidden in a shadow. She continued, however, as though she had not.

"Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," she said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to see when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes -" Ron began to snigger uncontrollably and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to stifle the noise "- so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will see before the end of the class."

And so they began.

Charlie felt extremely foolish, staring blankly at the crystal ball, trying to keep his mind empty when thoughts such as "this is stupid" kept drifting across it. It didn't help that Ron kept breaking into silent giggles, Harry kept yawning, and Hermione kept tutting.

"Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them after a quarter of an hour's quiet crystal gazing.

"Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron, pointing. "Someone's spilled their candle."

"This is such a waste of time," Hermione hissed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms -"

Professor Trelawney rustled past.

"Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" she murmured over the clinking of her bangles.

"I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."

His three friends burst out laughing.

"Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!" She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball.

Charlie groaned, "Oh god, here we go."

"There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to the ball, so that it was reflected twice in her huge glasses. "Something moving... but what is it?"

Harry was prepared to bet everything he owned, including his Firebolt, that it wasn't good news, whatever it was. And sure enough -

"My dear," Professor Trelawney breathed, gazing up at Harry. "It is here, plainer than ever before... my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer... the Gr -"

"Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Hermione loudly causing Charlie'a head to snap in her direction. "Not that ridiculous Grim rubbish again!"

Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.

"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."

There was a moment's silence. Then -

"Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming her books back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and knocking the crystal ball off of the stand. "I give up! I'm leaving!"

And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight. The crystal ball rolled after her as if to taunt the poor girl.

Charlie watched in amazement as she left. He genuinely didn't think she had it in her.

"Woah," he muttered, stunned. "That girl is bloody brilliant."

It took a few minutes for the class to settle down again. Professor Trelawney seemed to have forgotten all about the Grim. She turned abruptly from Harry, Charlie and Ron's table, breathing rather heavily as she tugged her gauzy shawl more closely to her.

"Ooooo!" said Lavender Brown suddenly, making everyone start. "Ooooo, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago, Professor!"

Professor Trelawney gave her a dewy smile.

"Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Granger would be leaving us. One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs...The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know..."

Charlie rolled his eyes, completely astonished as to how these naive minds actually believed this garbage. Maybe Hermione was right to leave.

"Actually," he said, rising to his feet with his books in hand, "I think I'll be leaving too, but I'm sure you saw that coming, didn't you, Professor?"

With one last smirk, the brown eyed boy walked out of the classroom as the entire classroom watched him in awe. When the boy finally shut the trapdoor behind him, he climbed down the ladder and walked down the hall in search of Hermione.

He finally found the girl sitting in one the window alcoves not far from the classroom. She had her back to him and her head was buried in a book. So, naturally, he saw an opportunity.

He crept up behind her quietly before shaking her and screaming, "Ahhh!"

The girl jumped instantly and turned quickly to meet his gaze. She tried to fight the smile that was tugging on her lips as she hit him on the shoulder with her books, "That wasn't funny!"

It took a moment for Charlie to come down from his laughter before he breathed out, "You're right, it was hilarious!"

Hermione eventually gave in and laughed along with him. After a moment of laughter, Hermione furrowed her eyebrows at the boy, "What're you doing here?"

"Figured you could use some company," He said with a playful smile, as he climbed up on the window to sit next to her, "You were amazing in there."

Hermione blushed slightly, "Thanks."

"You should've seen Trelawney's face," Charlie joked, "The push of the crystal ball was a nice touch. I'm impressed, Granger."

The bushy haired girl gave him a teasing glance, "Did I surprise you, Hawthorne?"

Charlie challenged her smile, "Of course not. Impressed, yes. Surprised, no. I figured you were going to let her have it sooner or later. I'm just glad I was there to witness it."

Hermione laughed slightly before looking into the boy's eyes and smiling widely, "I can't believe you walked out after me."

"Did I surprise you, Granger?" He teased, using her own words against her.

Hermione rolled her eyes with a small giggle, "Maybe a little."

"Well," Charlie said genuinely, "Anything for you."

A bright pink colour flushed over Hermione's cheeks causing Charlie to smirk victoriously. Not to worry though, they were just friends of course...

The boy missed moments like these with Hermione. Moments where they could just be themselves without murderers, or homework, or any other stupid things to get in the way. Hell, they were the entire reason as to why he fell for her in the first place -

But he was passed that.

His crush would soon fade and he'd move on...

...right?

It wasn't long before the bell had rung, and Harry and Ron came pouring out of the classroom. Ron looked as if he was close to falling asleep, but Harry... Harry looked troubled.

Charlie jumped off of the windowsill, before helping Hermione down gracefully. As the two of them walked towards their friends, the brown eyed boy noticed Harry's state.

"You alright?" he inquired with a curious tone.

"No," Harry said sincerely, which made the ears of his friends perk up, "Trelawney - Trelawney just told me that the - the Dark Lord's going to rise again... that his servant's going to go back to him."

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Author's Note:
*this chapter was not proof read*

On the road to recovery...

Hope you enjoyed! Going to try and get another chapter out later today, since there, sadly, won't be an update tomorrow.

[insert begging of votes and comments]

See you next time, much love!

xo, Selena