ABBY AND CHARLIE: STORY #2
Abby awoke the next morning, still sleeping on Charlie. She smiled, trying not to move too much. She watched his stomach and chest rise and fall as he breathed, listening to his heart beat. She closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the warm, unique rhythm.
Soon, unfortunately, he woke up. She rolled over as he shifted, pretending to still be asleep. She felt him carefully lift her head, slide a pillow under where his chest had been, and lay her head back down, gently. She heard him yawn, and knew he was stretching. He soon left. She smiled to herself.
She wished he was hers, that she could lay with him like that all the time. The smile slowly faded, and she sat up, pushed the blankets off, and threw here legs reluctantly over the edge of the couch. She grabbed the side of her head, the room slowly spun, like a top ending its run. She yawned, light streamed in from the window across the room. She had no idea what time it was.
After changing, she went downstairs. Kreacher was dusting off the many old house elf heads, muttering under his breath. She couldn't particularly blame him, those had been family members, after all.
She flashed him a smile, before rounding the corner and following a small hall to the kitchens. Mildly to her relief, Kreacher did not smile back. She shuddered as the image of his pointy teeth flashed in her mind, and then smiled, laughing a little to herself.
Pushing the kitchen door open, she walked in to see Charlie cooking some eggs and toast. She didn't mean to, but she cracked up, Charlie Asoras Weasley was wearing an apron! Charlie turned with a start at her laugh, flipping an egg to the floor. Now Abby was laughing uncontrollably, Charlie soon joining in at his hilarious mishap.
Abby grabbed a towel and went to clean up the egg splat, Charlie grabbed some toweling and went to clean up his mess at the same time, however, and they both clunked heads. Abby fell back, onto her butt.
When she looked, Charlie was supporting himself with one of his hands behind his back, propping himself up, the other hand was on his head. They stared at each other for a minute, then they both started laughing again.
Charlie stood, offering a hand before Abby had gotten to her feet. She smiled, as he pulled her up. "How're you today?" he asked, turning back to the food. "A little tired, but pretty good, slight head ache," she replied to the red ponytail, half smiling.
She remembered the night that Charlie had snuck out and knocked on her window, trying to hide from Molly and her scissors. She giggled. Charlie turned his head, giving her a sly smile that made her blush.
She watched his arms, the muscles working to flip the eggs. A feeling crossed her lips, a déjà Vu type moment, where she wanted to say "I love you," but she knew to keep it to herself. It wasn't worth losing him from her life, just to tell him; she'd rather keep her pain.
A sudden flash in her mind, reminded her of what the dementor had told her. She coughed, a rush of cold going through her. Charlie turned, checking on her. She smiled at him, signaling that she was ok.
A few moments later, Charlie brought her the eggs, setting the plate down in front of her. He turned, only to turn back a short time later with a glass of water. Abby smiled, taking up her fork and beginning to eat.
After she had eaten about half of her first egg, she hesitated. Charlie was watching her. "You ok?" he asked. "Yeah," she took another bite, which made her feel even sicker. She set her fork down,"I'm sorry, Charlie, but I don't think I can finish this." She looked up at him apologetically. "Don't worry, Abby. I don't want you to push yourself," he said understandingly.
Abby sat for a moment, then pushed her chair back and stood. She took a step and fell. "Abby!" Charlie sprung out of his chair, it slid across the floor, squeaking on the cold stone, and appeared at her side. Abby felt his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him through watery eyes, breathing deep.
"Abs, are you ok?" That's when it happened, that's when she lost control. Green, glittering liquid ebbed its way across the floor. Abby coughed. Her heart raced. Another splat escaped her.
"Abby? Abby!" Again. Abby began to gasp, she felt weak. Again, again. Charlie left her view, all she saw was his shoes and the swinging of the kitchen door. She fell to her side.
Where was Charlie? Where had he gone? To get help?
A wave rose inside of her, and splashed upon the cobbled floor, joining its forefathers.
Abby grew cold. Again! She shook. "Charlie?" she whispered. She was weak, exhausted. "Ch-ch-ar-rli-I." Again, but less this time. She rolled over onto her back.
The muscles in her arms tightened. A scream caught in her throat, as she choked on more liquid that she was now too weak to get completely up. Footsteps pounded in, the squeak of the door signaled someone's arrival. Abby struggled, she fought for any amount of air.
"Oh my..." Remus Lupin's shocked voice, tinged with sadness, came from close by. His shabby shirt filled her eyes, the pattern woven together through her blurred vision. She struggled and coughed. "Abby, hang on. Charlie, keep her attention, I need to get Tonks."
Hurriedly, from the sound of his quick footfalls, Lupin left again. A surge of pain caused Abby to arch her back and whimper. "Abby, I'm here. Shhh, Remus will fix you," she could hear Charlie's voice, as he stroked her hair, trying to stay calm and steady, but shaking slightly with fear nonetheless.
She choked again. Charlie touched her arm, her nerves were alive. The slightest touch burned. She flinched away, arched again, and screamed, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Abs, just look at me. Please, stay with me," Charlie's voice sounded near pleading. Her hands were in fists, pain surging in pulses from either her neck or her stomach, she couldn't tell which, maybe it was both.
Lupin came back, Tonks on his heels. Abby's eyes began to slide back, then in and out of focus. "Abby? Abby!" Charlie's voice filled her ears.
Tonks knelt beside her. Abby could feel a warmth on the back of her neck, which changed to an awful burning. She screamed again, twisting away. "Shhh, I'm sorry, Abby," Tonks' face was twisted in an uncomfortable way. She sat back on her knees and sighed, her hand slowly falling to her lap.
"I can try, Remus, but it's a long shot." "Just don't push yourself," he told her. "What's going on?" Charlie asked, confused. Abby choked and then began to seize. "Charlie, I'll explain later, hold her still!" Tonks ordered, diving in. Charlie's mind took a minute to register this order but, when it did, he did as he was told. "Remus, keep her breathing." Charlie saw Lupin nod.
Abby took two deep breaths, seemingly unable to exhale. "Charl-ie, t-take c-control of her breathing," Tonks stuttered a bit, she seemed taken in. "Tonks, are you okay?" he asked. "Just...d-do a-as you're t-told." He saw her arm twitch. But Tonks quickly covered it with her other hand.
"Ah!" Tonks breathed. "Tonks, what is it?" Lupin asked concernedly. Tonks' breath was catching, her arm tensing and flinching. "Abby, let go. Please." She squeezed her own arm, eyes shut tightly, leaning forward.
Lupin looked from Tonks to Abby. "Abby, you have to let go!" "What's happening?" Charlie asked, wide-eyed. "She's latched on to Tonks, she's draining her magic as a source for her own." Lupin got on the other side of Abby, grabbing Tonks' arm. "R-re-Remus...d-do-nt, y-you-ll," Tonks coughed,"k-kill h-her." "If I don't, she'll kill you, Tonks!" "T-th-er-es n-no n-need...f-fo-or b-bot-th o-of u-us t-to d-di-ie." Tonks was losing the battle, Charlie could tell.
Quickly, Charlie yanked Tonks' arm away from Abby, hastily replacing it with his own in her hand instead. His breath caught, as a connection was formed from what felt like his core. It pulled, it pulled his strength from somewhere deep inside of him. He grunted as it got worse, but he was still ok, it only hurt a little. "Abby-" Lupin started. "No, I'm fine, Remus," Charlie interrupted him. Well, at least he was for the time being.
Lupin tended to Tonks. Charlie didn't know how she was, he was blinded by a white light, which was seemingly invisible to the others. His hand jerked, but Abby pulled it back with the unseen connection. Charlie began to feel sick. He coughed, then his breath caught. Soon, it came only in gasps.
"Charlie? Charlie?" He could hear Lupin's voice, but he couldn't get enough air or concentration to answer, his mind was fuzzy. He took a breath through clenched teeth, leaning forward, holding his stomach as a sharper pain than any he had ever felt surged through it.
"Abby? Abby, listen to me, you HAVE to let go of Charlie. You're killing him." When she didn't stop, he tried again. "Abby, it's Charlie, you have to let go." When this did not work, Charlie gave it a go.
"A-abs, pl-ple...please," he stopped and coughed, his words only coming through sharp intakes of air,"a-Abby, I-it h-hurts." Now he was beginning to stutter. He took in quick, sharp breaths that hurt his chest. "A-Abby," he said airily. That's when he felt a small spark and a small surge and fell over backwards.