Chapter 4: The Gryffindor Lioness
Where Charlie had gathered the nerve to ask Hermione about her own courage, he did not know. He looked intently at the changing emotions that were crossing Hermione's face: fear, excitement, anguish, interest, and anxiety.
Charlie smiled warmly at Hermione as he lowered his broom to the ground to let her get on behind him.
"Charlie, I don't know if we should be doing this. I mean, both of us are prefects and we are setting a bad example for the younger students, especially Fred and George," said Hermione.
Charlie regarded Hermione's comments and realized he never thought about setting an example for the younger students.
"Hermione, even though you are right, have you ever thought about throwing caution to the wind and tasting what adventure feels like? This is your moment to do so. We are only young once and even though we are in our fifth year, time will fly by; our Hogwarts days are numbered. I'm offering you a chance to feel a freedom from worry; just trust me, Hermione. Trust me."
Charlie's bright blue eyes bore in Hermione's chocolate brown eyes. Her face was contemplating what he just said.
Hermione slowly reached out and whispered, "What am I doing?"
Charlie realized how big of a step this was for her. He remembered their first flying lesson in their first year when Hermione had nearly fallen off her broom. Although she was just three feet from the ground, the experience had obviously terrified her from ever flying again.
Slowly but surely, Hermione placed herself behind Charlie on his broomstick and he lifted the pair of them up slowly. Hermione wrapped both of her arms tightly around Charlie's stomach.
"Hermione, are your eyes open," Charlie asked.
Charlie felt Hermione shake her head from side to side. Charlie chuckled to himself as he lifted the broomstick higher into the air and as he did so, Hermione tightened her grip on Charlie.
"Hermione, trust me. Open your eyes and look at the view!"
Hermione slowly opened her eyes and gasped. Lying at her feet was the Quidditch pitch; except at night, it looked like a bottomless pit. The breeze of the wind made Hermione shiver as the wind was much stronger up in the air than on the ground.
Hermione looked over at Hogwarts castle and saw little lights twinkling from out of the windows. Hermione smiled to herself as she loosened her grip on Charlie.
"Charlie, the view is beautiful!" Hermione said.
"I'm going to fly now, if that is alright with you. I'll try to take it slow," Charlie replied.
Nonetheless, Hermione tightened her grip on Charlie as he nudged the broom forward. The pair flew over Hogwarts castle, twisting around Gryffindor Tower and over the open courtyard. Charlie flew between two dueling towers and over the Whomping Willow, across the quiet grounds of the castle.
Charlie flew the broom over the Forbidden Forest, with the tops of the tress brushing their shoes. The subtle sound of the treetops swaying gently in the breeze mixed with the complete quietness of the still, night sky.
Suddenly, a few feet from where the pair was flying on Charlie's broomstick, the tops of the trees burst open with a swift burst of leaves, as a hippogriff soared from out beneath the treetops into the sky.
Hermione screamed at the unexpected appearance as Charlie's Seeker reflexes quickly took a detour around the hippogriff. With a head and wings like an eagle and the body of a horse, the creature flew away from the forest as the newly departed leaves from its branches floated slowly back down onto the tops of the trees.
Charlie laughed loudly as he saw the hippogriff continue its night flight, the creature stretching its massive wings flying away from Hogwarts castle.
Charlie than maneuvered the broom so that it was flying over the Black Lake. The moon shone brightly against the surface of the lake as the now black hills surrounding Hogwarts seemed like great colossal boulders, jutting out of the water.
Hermione's breath hitched; she took in the magnificent sight in front of her, her bushy hair flying behind her as both her and Charlie's robes billowed after them.
Underneath the smooth surface of the lake, Hermione could see the giant squid moving at lightning speed as if it was racing Charlie's broom. The stars shone in their brilliance off of the waters of the Black Lake as Charlie steered his broom back towards the Quidditch pitch.
Charlie finally came to a stop right where they had started. Hermione's face was flushed with the chilly breeze and her hair was windswept as her heart raced faster than normal.
"How was that, Hermione?" Charlie turned to look at her; he was nervous that she hadn't liked the ride.
Hermione opened her mouth to answer but before any words could come out, a massive explosion of pink and green right next to them made both of them scream in surprise. Hermione's high-pitched scream, Charlie's low shout, and laughter filled the night air as pink and green embers disappeared into blackness.
Charlie looked down and saw red hair and a wand outstretched towards them. "I think its Bill," Hermione concluded.
Charlie steered the broom down towards the ground and both him and Hermione dismounted the broom to find Bill Weasley standing in front of them, his face masked in amusement and curiosity.
"Now what are two fifth year Gryffindor Prefects doing outside of the castle, after hours, on this fine fall evening," inquired Bill.
Hermione looked over at Charlie and even though there wasn't much light, Hermione could tell he was blushing. Hermione was blushing herself, remembering the ride she had just experienced. She had to admit, Charlie was right: up in the sky, Hermione forgot about all her worry and anxiousness; she was free from those chains.
"Um, Charlie was just taking me for a ride," Hermione began, "But I asked him to do so. I've never had much experience riding on a broomstick and Charlie said he would be glad to help me get rid of my fears of flying."
Hermione blushed again as she started walking away from the brothers and said, "Well, thank you, Charlie and good night." With that, Hermione hurried away, off the Quidditch Pitch and back into the castle.
"Care to tell me the real reason you two decided to go out flying tonight," asked Bill, folding his arms across his chest.
Charlie looked closely at Bill, wondering if he could tell Bill the truth. Deciding he could, Charlie replied, "Hermione's been having a rough couple of days back at Hogwarts and I thought it would be best to try to make for forget her anxiety.
"I've never seen her like this, Bill. I mean, she now has this far-away look in her eyes that she's never had before and, I don't know why, but it's discomforting. I mean, suddenly it seems like I actually care for her but I know I don't! I don't know what's going on anymore!"
Bill placed his arm across Charlie's shoulders and steered him off of the Quidditch Pitch and said, "Charlie, I'm glad you actually seem to care for Hermione's feelings but taking a night flight over the Hogwarts grounds, while romantic, is against school rules."
"Romantic," Charlie spat. "That was not a romantic gesture. I was simply trying to help Hermione feel better."
"Sure, whatever you say, Charlie," smiled Bill.
"What is your fascination with me and Hermione? I mean, it's not just you. Both Adam and Josh seem to think I all of a sudden have feelings for her?"
"Well with me, I remember when she followed you around all first year; it was like a dog and its tail. I had a few good laughs watching the two of you. Suddenly, in second year, she stopped paying you any attention and I saw you turn on your charms for her but she continued to brush you away. It's like an innocent romance! Your relationship with her is so fragile that one day, it just might shatter."
"I'm glad to you think that way about us, Bill," Charlie sarcastically said, "But I can assure you that I have no interest in Hermione. It's just too weird."
"Weird, is it? Why would it be weird to like Hermione?"
"I don't know! It just is! It's something I can't explain," reasoned Charlie.
Bill rolled his eyes and him and his brother walked through the doors of the castle. When they were back in Gryffindor Tower, they bid each other goodnight and Charlie trudged up the staircase to his dormitory.
In bed, Charlie wondered if Bill was so interested in his apparent 'romantic' feelings he had for Hermione, then why on earth he interrupted them at the end of their broomstick ride.
The following morning, the Gryffindors had Transfiguration with the Hufflepuffs. Charlie walked into the classroom along with Adam, Josh, and Tonks. The four of them sat near each other while Professor McGonagall started her spiel on the importance of O.W.L.s.
Although every other professor had started talking about O.W.L.s, no one dared to make any snide comment to Professor McGonagall; she was extremely strict and simply did not tolerate any misbehavior.
Today's first lesson was particularly difficult: she had the students transform their own Transfiguration books into bats. Of course, Hermione successfully completed her transformation on her third try, earning Gryffindor House five points for her impressive capability.
For the other students, it wasn't quite so easy. Adam successfully managed to transform his Transfiguration book into hawk, while Josh turned his book into a fox with wings.
Tonks, whose aim had never been spot on, transformed her entire table where she was sitting at, into a large bear.
After Transfiguration, Charlie, Josh, and Adam bid Tonks farewell while the Gryffindor fifth-years headed towards Herbology in the greenhouses.
After Professor's Sprouts expected discussion on the importance of O.W.L.s, the Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's were give the task to wrestle a Mandrake seed out of its roots. This was particularly difficult as the roots harboring the seed were quite unwilling to give up the kernel without a fight.
As Charlie and Adam tried to wrestle with the roots, Josh shoved his arm in the roots core when suddenly, the entrance of the root clamped down on Josh's arm. The rest of the roots of the Mandrake then repeatedly slapped Charlie across the face while Adam was struggling with one that wrapped itself across his arm.
Charlie looked across the table to see three different roots entwined with Hermione's bushy hair. Laughing to himself, Charlie finally managed to contain the flailing roots, Adam successfully pulled another root off of his arm, and Josh extracted the seed out of the Mandrake plant.
Walking down to Care of Magical Creatures, the Gryffindor's seemed to have been unceremoniously dropped in the heart of the Forbidden Forest and were forced to fight their way out of it. Scratches over hands and arms, robes ripped in several places, and broken twigs tangled in hair made the Gryffindor's quite a site to the already-waiting Hufflepuffs.
"What happened to you guys," questioned Tonks, trying to stifle a laugh.
Charlie was about to reply when a pair of hands shielded his eyes and a voice whispered in his ear, "Guess who?"
Charlie pulled himself out of Hannah's grip, annoyed she interrupted his conversation with Tonks.
"I missed you in Transfiguration today, Charlie! I was so alone!"
"Quiet over there you two!" Professor Grubby-Plank barked. "Now before we begin, I must stress to you all the importance of your O.W.L.s,-,"
"Hannah, you were sitting right in front of me. It's not like we were far away from each other," replied Charlie.
"But I wanted to be right next to you!" Hannah whined.
Charlie saw Tonks roll her eyes while Adam and Josh sniggered uncontrollably. Out of the corner of his eye, Charlie saw Hermione listening attentively to Professor Grubby-Plank and felt a pang of emotion spring up inside of him.
Throughout the rest of the lesson, Professor Grubby-Plank taught them about dragons. Charlie could barely pay attention though as Hannah kept nibbling on his ear which he found deeply disturbing while Tonks, Adam, and Josh continued to try and stifle their laughs.
Hermione, to no one's surprise, kept her attention fixed on Professor Grubby-Plank, answering questions she no doubt read over the summer in her Care of Magical Creatures textbook.
As the bell rang out signaling the end of their lesson, Hermione came up to Charlie and asked, "Charlie, since all of our lessons are over for the day, would like to go and visit Hagrid?"
Charlie, thankful for a reprieve from Hannah, gladly accepted her invitation and bid Hannah, Tonks, Adam, and Josh farewell.
Hannah repeatedly shot dirty looks over her shoulder at Hermione who seemed to not have noticed.
Charlie and Hermione walked over to Hagrid's hut situated on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They knocked on the door and heard grumbling as Hagrid came out of his hut and greeted them warmly.
"Charlie! Hermion'! 'Ow 'ave you been? Classes good an' all?" Hagrid asked, beaming at the pair of them.
Before either of them could answer, a low roar was heard. The three of them all looked towards the Forbidden Forest questionably.
Hagrid stepped out of his hut and shut the door, with his great boarhound dog, Fang, prancing along behind him. He stopped at the edge of the forest and listened again. Sure enough, moments later, another low roar was heard.
"Hagrid, what you think that sound is?" Hermione asked her voice cracking.
"It's no' a question of wha' but where it's comin' from," replied Hagrid.
Hagrid then stepped into the edges of the Forbidden Forest with Charlie, Hermione, and Fang following behind him.
It seemed as if Hagrid didn't know Charlie and Hermione were behind him as he strode deeper and deeper into the forest. All signs of daylight suddenly dimmed as the thick overhead of the trees turned into a dark canopy, shielding away sunlight.
Charlie's heart rate quickened with excitement though he was losing feeling in his left arm as Hermione was gripping it with intensity.
Deeper and deeper they trudged onward, their surroundings becoming more and more difficult to see. Twice, Charlie had tripped over the root of an very old tree while Hermione kept continually getting held back as random branches and twigs kept ensnaring her robes.
All the while, more low roars were heard but the farther they walked on, the more pronounced the sounds became.
It seemed as if they couldn't go on any farther into the forest as Hagrid's back turned into blackness. Charlie held his right hand in front of his face and realized he couldn't see it. Hermione's uneven breathing was the only thing that made him sure he was not alone.
And alone he was not for at the precise moment; an ear-shattering ROAR was heard, knocking Charlie and Hermione off of their feet.
Charlie and Hermione looked upwards and what they saw made both of them scream in terror.
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Chapter 5 is a work-in-progress. I will post it as soon as I am finished. I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Charlie and Hermione. Feel free to rate, review, and share!