Chapter Ten - What-ville, Part II:
Charlie's wrist was starting to hurt, but she didn't dare say so as Sirius guided her swiftly across the moonlit Hogwarts grounds. He hadn't let go since they'd left Rurik in the castle, and she could see that his broad shoulders were tense.
The night sky was illuminated blue with a bright half moon and stars, glittering like jewels, beyond thin wisps of cloud. It was a surprisingly clear night for late autumn at Hogwarts, although the air was crisp and cold.
"Sirius," Charlie said softly, struggling to keep her voice steady as she stumbled behind him.
He didn't respond. The only indication of his attention was the slight loosening of his fingers around her wrist, as if he'd only just remembered he was tugging along a human and not a sledge.
Craning forward to try and get a view of his face, she said, "Thank you."
"For what?" he asked gruffly. He seemed not to realise that was she was aware.
"For helping me... For trying to find this thorn."
He looked at her quickly. "Oh," he said, frown clearing a little, "you're back."
She smiled and managed to coax his lips into a reluctantly lopsided grin as well. Quickening her pace so that she drew beside him, and hoping he wouldn't snap at her for her next question, she asked, "Do you really know where to find the thorn?"
"Yeah, Charlie. I do." He looked at her sideways. "You trust me don't you?"
She nodded mutely before she could find her voice; his eyes bore into hers so seriously.
"Yeah," she said honestly. "Yes... of course."
He gave another small smile then.
They approached the edge of the Forbidden Forest and Charlie began to slow. "We're not going in there, are we?"
Sirius smirked at her over his shoulder, his previous tension gone. "Scared of a few trees, Frazier?"
Charlie shot him a glare before eyeing the forest and biting her lip apprehensively. Sirius' smirk faltered for a second and then grew. He walked back towards her, almost invading her personal space. She glared up at him, hating the arrogance that just dripped off him.
"You've never been in the Forbidden Forest?" he asked, in a tone that suggested a distant part of his mind found this very entertaining.
"No." She jutted out her chin unashamedly. "There's a reason it's forbidden."
"Come on." He smirked as his fingers tangled with hers by her side. "I'll even hold your hand."
Charlie rolled her eyes before looking down at their entwined hands. She smiled softly. "Errol's hands are prettier than yours."
Sirius' voice went dry. "Mm, I'm sure they are."
They took about five steps into the imminent shade of the trees. And that was all.
"Here we are," Sirius announced smugly, dropping her hand and looking up at an old, gnarled tree. The thick trunk was covered in rough black bark and the branches, which disappeared high into the canopy above, were adorned with equally dark leaves.
Charlie, who had been walking very closely after, peered up at the looming figure from behind his shoulder. "This is it?"
"Expecting something prettier? More lovely?"
Charlie scowled. "Sod off."
Sirius sniggered and looked back at her, doing a double take when he noticed her nose practically brushing the shoulder of his dress shirt. Alarmed, he demanded, "Why are you so bloody close?"
Charlie blushed and hastily took a step back. Sirius cocked his head to the side as he watched her.
"You're actually scared, hey?"
"No."
"But look, you can see the castle from here!" He pointed through the trees to where, indeed, the confronting silhouette and comforting lights of the Hogwarts Castle could be seen through the shadows and mist of the Forest. He laughed, presumably at her 'folly', and draped an arm across her shoulders, pulling her in front of him to face the Willemina tree.
"Okaaay," he breathed from behind her, making her neck tingle. "I guess there's only one way to get up there."
"Can't we accio the thorn?"
"Certainly, if you were wanting to pioneer the Just Got Stabbed in the Eye by a Brilliantly Large, Flying Thorn look." He left her side to swing himself up onto the first branch, no regard whatsoever to his expensive trousers and shirt.
"Well, I am quite the fashionista ..." Charlie joked lamely as she watched him.
But then, as she fought the urge to rub her naked arms against the cold that swarmed in his absence, she reminded herself that Charlie Frazier was no damsel in distress. If she needed saving, she wasn't going to sit around and wait for someone else to do it.
"And hey," called Sirius from the second branch with a boyish grin on his face. "When was the last time you climbed such a massive tree?"
Taking a deep breath, Charlie stepped towards the trunk of the Willemina. Slipping off her black heels, she grasped the coarse branch closest to her. After making a futile attempt at jumping and hauling herself up (something she did so easily before puberty), she realized her beautiful black dress, with its tight-fitting bodice and split that went up to her knee, was hardly the most appropriate attire.
"Um, Sirius…" she called uncertainly.
He looked down at her and immediately saw the problem. He grinned before jumping down to the branch in front of her and then swinging to the ground, landing gracefully at her feet.
"Alright," he said authoritatively. "How much do you want this thorn?"
"How much do I not want to be publicly lusting after Errol Camden for the next four days?" she countered. Sarcastically; "Yeah, a fair bit, I reckon."
Sirius smirked. "How much do you like this dress?"
Charlie hesitated. Grabbing her shoulders, Sirius dipped his head to look her in the eye.
"Enough to be publically lusting after Errol Camden for the next four days?"
More hesitance. "Well... it is only four days ..."
"Charlie."
She sighed. "Fine. No."
Sirius smirked again and reached down between them. "That's my girl."
There was a sharp crack and Charlie gasped as cool air whooshed between her legs. Her eyes widened accusingly at Sirius before snapping down to stare at her dress. Her mouth dried at what she saw. The knee high split now continued in a jagged tear to her upper thigh, leaving her left leg almost entirely exposed.
Charlie stared at Sirius again, making a sound that came out as something like a high-pitched croak.
Sirius, on the other hand, was looking rather pleased with himself. He gave her a look, as if reminding her that this was all under her consent.
"I'll buy you a new one," he promised.
Climbing the Willemina was easier then, though Charlie was always grabbing the loose bits of her dress and stuffing it between her knees to minimize the amount of exposed skin. Or she just screamed at Sirius to cover his eyes as she executed a rather unladylike move.
The rough bark scraped at their skin mercilessly, and Charlie didn't even want to see to what level her bare back now resembled a cat's scratching post. The black leaves were soft – velvety – and lacked the damp, mulchy smell of the rest of the forest. They instead radiated a fresh, almost sweet scent that Charlie could only couple with that of clean water. But amidst all the clusters of leaves, neither Charlie nor Sirius could find a flower, or its partnering thorn.
Biting her lip, her gaze swept the bowels of the tree one more time from where she perched in its centre.
"This is impossible," she whispered. They didn't have time for this.
"What?" Sirius' voice was soft; a hum in the daunting silence of the Forest.
"Maybe we don't even need the thorn," she said, voice louder. "I mean look at me, I'm fine. Maybe the potion's already worn off."
"I doubt this is the kind of potion that just 'wears off', Charl."
"But Rurik said it was dodgy quality! Maybe –"
"Charlie! Do you really want to take that chance?"
She frowned and watched as Sirius scoured his branch, a few above her, to the right. He was being a right bossy know-it-all that night.
Her gaze became furtive, almost rebellious, before she made up her mind and reached down to pull her wand out of the thin holster strapped around her thigh. The leather carrier was something Charlie didn't even know existed until the last Hogsmeade trip, when Lily had taken her to a small lingerie shop and explained that what Charlie had previously confused for a frightening piece of animalistic underwear was actually a handy, concealed wand holder for the days that you didn't have any pockets. That last line was delivered with a wink that made Charlie's eyes widen.
Now grasping her wand determinedly, she accio'd the thorn, her voice barely a breath.
"GAH!" Sirius yelled, and there was a slap as his hand hit his neck.
Charlie's head snapped up in alarm. And to think, she thought she'd mastered the Summoning Charm back in fourth year.
"What? What happened?"
"Calm down," he hissed, and Charlie swallowed impulsively, realizing her voice had bordered on a screech. "Something bit me…"
Breaking her silence, Charlie did screech this time. "YOU COULD BE POISONED!"
"No – shush – it's just… What the – Charlie, I told you not to summon that bloody thorn! Did I not specifically say –"
Charlie stared as Sirius pulled his hand away from his neck, revealing a trickle of blood from where something sharp and triangular protruded.
"Ohhh," she exhaled. "Sorry."
He glared at her, and she smiled sweetly in response. Telling him to wait where he was, she holstered her wand and started to climb towards him.
Sirius' eyes widened as he glimpsed the leather strap. "So that's how you do it," he marvelled.
She reached him quickly, having rekindled her ape ancestral instincts, and slapped Sirius' hands away when he tried to extract the thorn himself. She straddled the branch and scooted closer to get a better look.
"Okay," she said, not surprised when her voice fell out in a whisper. She took his head gently in her fingers and tilted it to the side, exposing his neck and the embedded thorn. "Merlin's beard, that's huge."
"Yeah," agreed Sirius sharply, "yeah, it is! So you mind getting it out of my jugular vein?"
"God," Charlie grumbled. "You're stroppy when you're in pain."
"It's doesn't hurt."
She yanked the thorn free.
"ARGH!" He jerked away before glaring at her in absolute indignation. "Ow!" he yelled pointedly. "Christ, a little warning would have been nice!"
"Ohhh," Charlie rubbed Sirius' neck, her expression one of sarcastic concern. "That hurt, did it?"
"You're a little devil," he cried in surprise.
Charlie held the thorn up triumphantly and gave smug little shrug. "A little devil with a Willemina thorn!"
She started to carefully climb down.
When she reached the lowest branch, however, Sirius straightened alertly.
"Hey," he whispered. His brow furrowed and he gazed into the distance. "Do you hear that?"
The sound of flapping, slapping and bad coordination filled the air. Charlie barely got to take one breath before all the air was knocked out of her, and she fell to the ground with a cry.
She landed without grace on her face. Sirius was beside her moments later and rolled her onto her back. He pushed her hair out of her face as she groaned (her previously delicate knot now resembled a bird's nest) and leaned down to peer worriedly into her face.
"You haven't got a concussion have you?" he asked while he began to run his hands gently over her arms and sides. "No broken bones? Can you remember your name?"
"Charlie Frazier," Charlie bit out pointedly while she sat up on her elbows. What a brilliant night this was turning out to be. Really. Just spiffing.
Sirius nodded but didn't stop his ridiculous medical examination of her body. She watched his fingers ghost over her ribcage, prodding gently and then, blushing despite her agitation, her gaze flicked to his ever so close face. He was looking down and his thick lashes looked darker than dark against his cheekbones. Charlie could see the beginnings of stubble starting to form.
"Um. Sirius…"
"Does that hurt?"
"No – I'm fine. It's just… if someone sees us… Well. They could get the wrong idea."
Silence, as Sirius realized that there he was; bending over Charlie, on the floor of the (some might say romantically moonlit) Forbidden Forest, just out of sight of the castle and their partying peers, minutes to midnight, running his hands all over her body.
Sweet Merlin.
Sirius cleared his throat. "Yeah," he said hoarsely. "I was just –" He swallowed and changed tactic pointedly. "Getting off you. Now."
"Mmm."
Sirius stood quickly then and helped her up. "But listen, if you're all in one piece," he said, "what was that crack I heard?"
As if on cue, Charlie's wand fell from beneath her dress, landing on the floor in two horrifying pieces. Charlie could almost hear her entire world crashing and burning, along with her dramatic mental scream of 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.'
"It's okay," Sirius assured her quickly, reading her pale expression and bending hastily to pocket the two halves. "Ollivander can fix that easily, Charlie. You hear me? Easily."
Charlie nodded blankly, wishing she could just sit down and cry. And then she realized something else with a terrible jolt to her stomach and all her misery morphed right back into extreme agitation.
"Oh, fuck," she growled.
"What now?"
"What now? What now?" Charlie's eyes fluttered close and she felt a headache coming on, and it had nothing to do with a concussion. "I dropped the thorn."
She gave a screech of frustration and then dropped onto all fours, rummaging through the decaying leaves and mulch on the forest floor for the now impossibly small thorn. Muttering and groaning to herself as she frantically searched her surroundings, Charlie had forgotten all about the previous flapping ball that had sent her hurtling to the ground. Until Sirius called her name.
"What?" she huffed, angry to be interrupted in her little rant and that he had yet to contribute his eyes to The Thorn Search.
"Look."
He held up a piece of parchment that Charlie barely noticed before her narrowed eyes zoomed in on the fat tawny owl that perched on the branch by Sirius' head. It was the exact branch she had been seated on moments ago.
The owl chirped nervously under her death glare.
"You," she hissed, slowly rising from the ground with various leaves, twigs and other forest things dropping from her dress and hair. The owl hopped from one foot to the other, its huge eyes wide and round.
"YOU SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE?" Charlie exploded, pointing a chipped fingernail at the quivering bird. "I'M GOING TO BE THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, WANTING TO SNOG ERROL CAMDEN AND THINKING HE'S THE BEST THING SINCE MY HOGWARTS LETTER! YOU FAT BLUMBERING FOOL OF A BIRD! YOU CALL YOURSELF WISE BUT YOU CAN'T EVEN FLY STRAIGHT–"
"Charlie."
"WHAT - IS IT - NOW, SIRIUS?"
He smirked. "Let's not shoot the messenger, hey? Especially when it brings such good news."
Charlie frowned, a little breathless. "What do you mean?" She gathered up the skirts of her dress and stomped, barefoot, towards him, shooting a menacing look towards the owl as she did. The bird flapped its wings anxiously, clicking its beak at her.
"Stop terrorizing the wildlife," Sirius scolded as she came to stand by him. To the owl he said, "Thanks, you can go now."
Watching the bird struggle to become airborne and the flap back towards the castle, Charlie muttered, "He started it."
Sirius showed her the parchment, on which Charlie recognised Rurik's thin, elegant handwriting.
"He says he was right, it is Nereus Ville and a kiss will do. But, of course, because he can't be exactly sure about the quality of the potion or any other variations Camden might have attempted, blah da blah, there's still a slight chance that the magic gets thrown – redirected attraction, that sort of thing. But it'll only last a few days at worst. It's not ideal but, I mean we've lost the thorn so... whatever helps, right?"
Charlie didn't like the fluttery feeling accumulating in her gut.
"I suppose..."
A kiss. And it wasn't one hundred percent.
But Sirius was right. Whatever helps. As long as she wasn't lusting after Errol Camden, that deceitful - little - poor - malicious - pathetic - pitiful little boy.
Suddenly, Charlie remembered Rurik's offer. "If a simple kiss is all it takes..." He'd made it pretty clear he was up for it.
Twisting her fingers, she looked to the castle and felt a blush begin to heat up her face and neck. Was Rurik waiting for her to return so she could plant one on him? And if she did, would it really be that simple? Charlie sincerely doubted she would be able to walk away from a kiss with Rurik and still consider it only a cure to a curse. And what if there were side effects? She would fawning over him for days.
Not that you don't already, said a snide voice in her head.
Oh, she so did not expect Aurnerie's Farewell Ball to be so bloody dramatic.
Sirius followed Charlie's gaze over his shoulder and then looked back at her drily.
"I'm hurt, Frazier. Really, I am."
Charlie blinked. "Sorry?"
"We have about five minutes until you're stuck with a swooning, cooing, sickening ooh-Errol's-hands-are-so-fucking-pretty infatuation with Camden, and you're actually considering running back to snog the Russian boy."
"No – I, uh –"
"Look, Charlie. I'm a boy. I'm right here. I've been your friend for more than six years; it's just a kiss."
Charlie stared at Sirius. He wanted her to kiss him? This was something she hadn't seen coming. Sure, there was a time in fourth year… but that was years ago.
Sirius was looking at her, his face open, honest and coaxing.
It's just a kiss, he'd said. They'd been friends for over six years. But surely, wouldn't that make it all the more awkward? …But then, how many times had Charlie heard the girls gossiping about Sirius' out-of-this-world snogging talent? Maybe she should've been grabbing at the chance to experience it for herself, instead of making things more complicated. If anyone was going to make this night even a tad enjoyable, it would be the infamous Sirius Black.
If only it really was that simple.
Time was ticking, and Charlie felt her pulse quicken. Somewhere in the back of her mind, it registered that Sirius had taken a step closer. She bit her lip and stared up at him.
"Okay," she said. "Just a kiss, right?"
Sirius smiled wrily and said with sarcasm, "Don't get too excited."
But then he grinned as she smirked and said, "Exactly. Just a kiss. It doesn't even have to last all that long, just enough to break the spell. …And I promise I won't slobber on you." His eyes twinkled at her reassuringly and she smiled genuinely.
"Thanks, Sirius." For everything.
His smile slipped back into a smirk as he took another step forwards, effectively invading her personal space. Charlie felt her breath come out ragged at the sudden proximity and swallowed. She could smell him, his sweat mingling with the soft scent of his cologne. All she could see now was him as well. If she looked down, she saw his shoes inches from her toes. A little higher, his shiny belt buckle glinted at her from beneath his slightly untucked shirt. If she looked straight ahead, she saw his dirt smeared chemise, one button missing, and his bowtie loose around his neck. But it was when she looked up, and saw his handsome features, untroubled and rather amused, blotting out the forest and the sky and everything surrounding, that Charlie felt her mouth go dry.
"Hey, maybe… Maybe I should have a mint or something first…"
Sirius stared at her drily. "Three minutes and counting Frazier. Cutting it a little close."
"Okay," she said, voice unusually high. "Alright. No pressure."
Sirius chuckled huskily, and his warm breath ghosted over her lips. Her head tilted upwards of its own accord, and he quieted abruptly. Charlie wetted her lips and shivered as Sirius' hand whispered up her arm.
Their breath mingled. Charlie felt herself lean into him, the thin satin of her dress gently brushing the crisp material of his shirt.
Sirius smirked down at her. "Anytime now."
Her temper flared and she almost growled as she lifted onto her tip toes and moved in to quickly close the gap.
But then, at the last possible moment, she pulled away, gasping. She felt as if a torrent of air had flown into her lungs, suffocating her. Her mind and senses were overwhelmed with thoughts of Errol Camden.
"No," she gasped, thinking of how she had just almost betrayed him. "What am I doing?" She turned towards the castle, distraught and consumed with the need to kiss Errol. Only Errol. "I need to –"
"Charlie!" Sirius grabbed her arm as she moved forwards.
"Let go of me," she cried. "I need to find Errol!"
Why was he doing this? Why couldn't Sirius just let her be?
"No!" she gasped. "No!"
Sirius' hands were grappling with her waist now as she tried to push him away. Desperately, she stretched her arms out for the shining lights of Hogwarts, where she knew Errol was waiting.
"Get off me!" she screamed, hot tears streaming down her face. "Get off me, you –"
Her words were silenced as Sirius grabbed her face and crushed his lips to hers.
Instantly, all thought of Errol vanished – whooshed out her with a force that left her limp. Sirius' thumbs wiped away tears that were already drying as Charlie's mind went blank.
After a few moments, she became aware that he was still kissing her. The initial roughness had given way to a kiss that was gentle and innocent. Their lips pressed together sweetly.
And then it happened.
A tingling heat burned through her body, like a wave of thick, rolling lava, engulfing her and leaving the very tips of her fingers simmering. She was kissing Sirius back, hotly and desperately. Her fingers buried themselves in his soft curls as she feverishly pressed herself against him. Sirius' hand dropped to cup the nape of her neck, while the other compliantly held her close. Charlie sighed. A sinful, breathy sigh.
Her thoughts were frenzied and electric, as if someone had cut a wire and sparks were crackling and flying everywhere. The only thought she could manage consisted of one word; More.
His fingers were tracing patterns on her bare, scratched back, making her skin burn despite the cool mist that surrounded them. Sirius' body felt delicious against hers. When he nibbled on Charlie's lip, she gasped before he soothed the spot with a flick of his tongue.
"Sorry," he panted against her mouth, breath hot on her face. And then, moments later, "Reckon that's enough?"
Charlie could barely make sense of his words. She could barely think; she could barely see. She could only feel, and what she felt was driving her mad. The heat. Sirius' touch, Sirius' body, Sirius' lips, Sirius' tongue...
He was still stealing soft kisses from her even as she murmured, "No," never, "Mm – I don't think –"
"Yeah, neither do I –"
She crushed her lips to his once more. She was clutching herself tightly to him, her arms holding him around his neck as if afraid a mere breeze might blow her away. His arms were just as tight around her waist.
In that moment, she couldn't even remember her own name. Maybe she was concussed after all.
When finally Sirius pulled away, it was to rest his forehead against Charlie's. Their ragged, panting breaths swirled between them, the only sound in the stillness of the Forest, and the molten lava in Charlie's veins began to cool. She felt as if it were trickling gradually down her insides, disappearing as it fell out the bottom of her gut.
Slowly, she let her eyes flutter open.
Sirius' face was flushed, his grey eyes darkened with lust. His pupils were hugely dilated, and his parted lips swollen. His hair, because of Charlie, was much messier than usual. And it was while she was noticing all this that reality finally hit.
That was not a kiss between friends.
Her stomach plummeted.
Fuck.
Sirius must have realized their little dilemma at about the same time, because he took a deep, steadying breath and pulled away, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. She saw his Adams apple bob before he asked, distant and stoic as if the last two minutes were just delusions that hid what was really a peck on the cheek, "Anything?"
It was a ridiculous question. A question with no purpose other than to present Charlie with a door to the Room of Denial.
Wide eyed, with her heart going a hundred beats per minute, Charlie shook her head. "Nothing."
Sirius nodded, swallowing again. But his voice was slightly hoarse as he said, "Good."
Yeah.
Brilliant.
Hot for one her best mates? Not in the Room of Denial.
A/N: Thoughts? This chapter has been reworked about 9405790345 times, and to be honest it still doesn't feel right. Any comments or tips from anyone would be immensely appreciated.
Sorry to everyone who reviewed Chapter 9 but didn't get mentioned the following update! I was so eager to update, I knew I was forgetting something! So in saying that, big thanks go to everyone who reviewed Chapter 10 and Chapter 9: Pink-And-Green-Jellybean, Night Hawk 97, Nelle07, camie (your review made me smile so much!), mykk47, Rebakah, geekyxchild, slythernprincess, Leila (I'm so glad you're still enjoying it!), Putten, suadade do coracoa, Merry Wanderer of the Night and WasabiWarrior 101!
You guys rock more than rocks do!
Next chapter: The aftermath. And, one of my favourite scenes, the gang gets together to try and fix Charlie's wand :)