Chapter 10
First night back.
"Come here," Charlie said as he and Kate sat on the couch in front of the fireplace. He pulled her onto his lap, so she straddled his lap. "Is he still watching us?" Charlie asked quietly. Kate nodded and shivered. "Hay, focus on me."
Kate smiled and looked Charlie in the eye. Her arms went around his neck and he kissed her tenderly and Kate kissed him back, slowly pressing herself closer to him as their emotions and the passion between them increased. Charlie had snaked his hands under her blouse and cardigan and he'd removed her outer robes which now draped over the sofa's arm. She opened her eyes and saw Erik with a look of fury on his face.
"He's still watching us, Charlie." Kate whispered in his ear. As she pressed closer to him once more as his hands grazed her waist.
"So?" Charlie asked, with a cheery smile and Kate tugged his hair at the nape of his neck.
"He scares me, Charlie." She said.
"Don't think about him then." Charlie said and squeezed her waist, she squeaked and Charlie laughed.
Erik fumed even more and headed up the stairs to the boys dormitory after another lad who spared to be a fifth year. The boy had his head in a book. Finn passed him and hissed as Erik bumped him before Finn made his way to Charlie and Kate, who broke apart to make their single friend feel comfortable. Kate remained on Charlie's lap, but returned to a more conservative position.
"He's just bumped me, the bastard." Finn said as he sat in the armchair near Kate and Charlie.
"Ignore him, he's a dick." Kate said turning her attention on Finn.
"Katie, I don't want to upset you but what did he do to you?" Finn asked, moving from the armchair to the 2 seater sofa beside Charlie and Kate put her feet over his knees into his lap, so she was stretched out over both of the boys.
"He bullied me, Finn. He... He gave me 2 cracked ribs and caused my scar down my back." Kate said and Charlie's arm tightened around his waist.
"You never told me that. What did he do to you?" Charlie asked, stroking her hair as she rested her head on his shoulder so she was still facing Finn.
"He shoved me against a cave wall near Durmstrang Instiute and then, because I shoved him off me, he hit me, cracking my two ribs. A few weeks later I refused to accompany him to a pub and he cut my back with a spell, one that scars, even when I tried to heal it myself." Kate answered and Charlie kissed her forehead.
"Oh, Katie. I'm sorry, sweetheart." Finn said kindly, taking her hand in his.
"It's alright, I survived. He just puts me on edge." Kate said and then spied the time on Finn's watch. "I best get to bed. Night, Finn. Night Charlie." She wriggled out of Charlie's grasp and stood up, straightening her clothes and grabbing her robes. She kissed Charlie sweetly and then kissed Finn's forehead on her way off to bed.
"Night, Kate." The boys chorused and Kate waved as she headed up the stirs to the girls dormitory.
Charlie and Finn remained where they were for a few more moments before they too headed to bed. Erik was already asleep when they arrived and Charlie glared at him before he changed for bed and dreamed of killing the bastard who had hurt Kate.