Games Are Afoot Chapter 11
Round Two
Charlie headed up the bleak stairway from the kitchen consciously trying to get past Mrs. Black's portrait without an incident. Tonks had created too many incidents of late and he really wasn't in the mood for another headache. He successfully navigated the hallway and began to search the upper floors for Sirius. The first of the upper floors was silent so he continued to the next level.
As he made his way down the hallway he heard a loud bang that made him jump. It seemed to come from Fred and George's room. He knocked on the door.
"You two alright?" Charlie asked through the door suspiciously as a thin layer of smoke crawled out from under it.
"We're fine. Just a little experiment. Nothing to worry about." One of the twins called through the closed door. Charlie shrugged and continued down the hallway unsuccessful in his search. As he headed back towards the stairs, he heard voices. He stopped and listened at the door across the hall from the twins.
"Charlie isn't like that. He has some sense, Ron is just…I don't know….younger, I guess. He means well, but sometimes I think they forgot to hook up his mouth to his brain so he can think before he speaks."
That had to be Ginny. Charlie's curiosity was peaked. He knew he shouldn't listen in, but come on, he grew up in a house full of people and this is how you figured things out!
"I know. Someday I hope he'll grow up and see that I am a person. It took him four years to figure out I was a girl! I just felt so stupid because I hadn't ever really thought about my wand as more than just a tool, so, I figured Charlie would understand about the dragon part. But, I really don't know him that well. The only time before this week I have ever even seen him was last summer at the world cup."
"You worry too much, Hermione." Ginny tried to comfort her. "Charlie is really easy to talk to and get to know. He always has made time for me and is always willing to answer questions and never makes me feel dumb. Last year after Harry took on that Horntail, I wrote him and wanted to know all about it, the dragon I mean. He wrote back this really long, detailed letter and it made me feel like I was important enough that he would take the time to be thorough and not blow me off."
Charlie smiled to himself. He loved his little sister and understood how worried she was after witnessing Harry's "brush with death" as she had called it. He was happy to be able to bring some comfort to her. He wondered if he intimidated Hermione. She had seemed very composed around him except for the lounge earlier.
"Gin, I never had brothers. I really like yours. They are fun and adventurous and they always make me feel welcome. You know that. I mean Fred and George wouldn't tease me if they didn't like me right?"
Charlie assumed that Ginny nodded because Hermione continued.
"Percy always talked to me at school. Bill I don't know very well either but I think we made sure he'll never underestimate us again…." Laughter filled the room.
Charlie had an idea so he ceased his listening at the door and continued up the stairs to find Sirius. He located him in the uppermost room with Buckbeak.
"Hey Mate!" Sirius called out as Charlie entered the room. The room looked like it had once been elegant, but with a hippogriff living in it, it had seen better days. Feathers littered the floor both from the animal and obviously from the pillows that lay flat with deep gashes on the bed. It looked as if Buckbeak had tried to make a nest on the floor and had scavenged pieces of the finery for his comfort. Sirius was brushing him out and for a change the hippogriff seemed content.
"Hey Sirius, I was wondering if I could borrow your Flinch quill. I didn't get to play earlier and thought I would see if anyone was up for a game."
"Sure, it's on my dresser in my room next level down. You can't miss it. Says 'Sirius' on the door." Sirius answered chuckling at his own humor.
"You're alone too much, you're starting to crack yourself up!" Charlie bantered back good naturedly. Sirius let out a hearty chuckle.
"Be off with you. Can't you see a man is trying to bond with his hippogriff here?"
"Thanks, Sirius." Charlie said on his way out the door. He made his way back down one level and grabbed the quill. Then he continued down the next two flights. He thought of jumping down the flight of stairs for fun or apparating, but decided that stealth and quiet would better accomplish his purpose.
As he neared the door of the girls room, he couldn't hear them talking anymore and hoped they hadn't left. He knocked gingerly.
"Come in." Ginny called.
"Hello Ladies." Charlie said grinning. "I thought maybe we could enjoy some entertainment together."
"What did you have in mind?" Ginny answered smiling back. She loved that Charlie sought her out and didn't just act like he was humoring her being there. Charlie always made her feel like he wanted to be around her. It was one of the things she loved the most about him.
"I thought maybe we could play Flinch just the three of us—no obnoxious brothers allowed." Charlie quipped.
"Then you'll have to excuse yourself and let just Hermione and I play." Ginny shot back. Charlie barked out a deep laugh.
"I love your wit Ginevra, but I am the good brother, it's the rest of them that are prats."
"Can't argue with logic like that!" Ginny countered.
Hermione watched the interaction with amusement. Charlie definitely had a knack for lightening the mood in a room. He seemed to bring lightness to wherever he was. She helped Ginny move one of the nightstands between the two beds while Charlie conjured a comfortable looking chair for himself. It had a low back and a well-padded seat covered in red with gold edging. 'Ever the Gryfindor,' Hermione mused inwardly.
"Nice chair." Hermione offered with the merest touch of sarcasm lacing her voice.
"Thanks, I am a comfort over fashion kinda guy." Charlie responded jovially.
"Char, I think we should establish some ground rules here. There are some things a girl just doesn't want to tell her big brother." Ginny interjected eyebrows raised trying to cast the illusion of mystery.
"I couldn't agree more because there are most assuredly some things a big brother doesn't want to tell his little sister either."
"So we are agreed, no overly personal questions of the romantic nature?"
"Hear. Hear." Hermione added smiling. She found herself becoming eagerly curious at the opportunity this game would provide. It was the perfect way to get to know Charlie without overly embarrassing herself. Her smiling eyes met Charlie's across the table and he winked at her. Could he be thinking the same thing? Hermione definitely thought the afternoon was looking up more than she had ever imagined. She casually checked to make sure Ginny wasn't looking and then with all the courage she could muster she very flirtatiously winked back at Charlie.
To say Charlie was stunned that she winked back would be a horrid understatement. He was nearly stupified, extremely amused, and secretly happy.
"Well, since this little adventure was my idea, I vote we skip the whole ladies' first thing and let me ask the first question." Charlie wanted to set the pace for the game so that it would be interesting without seeming like he was fishing for answers. He was a very curious wizard, not only about Hermione, but about the woman his little sister was becoming. She had grown up way too fast and he wanted to know her better too.
Ginny and Hermione shared a look and after their unspoken conversation, Ginny responded to Charlie's presumption, "Okay, Char—let us have it." The three placed their fingers on the quill.
Charlie laughed. Oy, these girls were fun. "My first question, hmm," he said thoughtfully. "What was ONE of your proudest moments?" Now Charlie was smart. He didn't want anyone to flinch for quite a while so he phrased the question so it would be more open and not require too personal of an answer.
Ginny was up first. Her eyes looked alive with delight as her mind raced over possible answers. "I think one of my proudest moments was when Snape was giving me a devil of a time in potions and he picked my antedote thinking I would die because it wouldn't work and it was perfect. He couldn't find a single fault so he ended up taking points away because of my impertinent smirk."
Hermione laughed out loud. "Oh that's rich. You mastered the slytherin smirk and he takes away points. HaHaHaHa. That's awesome." Charlie laughed too.
"Okay, my turn." Hermione began. Her eyes lit up at the thought that popped into her mind. "For me, I would have to say it was when I popped the Slytherin pansy."
Ginny exploded with laughter and Hermione joined her. Charlie looked lost.
"Ladies, ladies, I think an explanation is missing. It would appear to be a great story, let's have it."
Ginny and Hermione exploded in hysterics again, by now tears streaming down their faces.
"OH, this must be good." Charlie prodded, laughing just because the girls' laughter was contagious.
"Well, hehehe, I was really mad when they came to kill buckbeak…hahahahahaha….and then Malfoy was there….hehehehehehe….and I was just angry because it was all his fault for being a sodding git who can't follow instructions to save his life and he started in on us like he always does…." She was gasping for breath and made the mistake of looking at Ginny and they both broke into fits of giggles again. Once she caught her breath, she continued, "Anyway, I whipped out my wand and thought about hexing him into next year, but decided it wasn't worth it. He had a look of absolute terror in his eyes but his face was still that cold unaffected sneer. I lowered my wand and started to turn around when he made some smart arse comment and something in me snapped and I just nailed him…right in the nose. He ran away whimpering like a little girl. Oh, it felt so good. Not my hand mind you, it sort of hurt, but from then on, he had no power over me." Ginny snorted and all of them broke into laughter again.
"So why do you call him a slytherin pansy?" Charlie asked.
"He has this really foul girlfriend named Pansy. And Hermione told me that pansy means weak in the muggle world, and after he ran away….well we just think he has the right girlfriend." Ginny snickered.
Charlie laughed out loud again. He was impressed.
"I am not sure anything I've done can compare with your deeds of daring and courage," Charlie teased, "but I will make a valiant attempt to be worthy of you. Let's see…" Charlie was thinking. "I think one of my proudest moments was when I won the quidditch cup for the seventh year in a row. We were in a close match with Slytherin and the winner would also win the House cup. Angelina Johnson, you know her right?" The girls nodded. "Well, she was having an amazing game. I think she had scored like twenty times. The Slytherins were getting viciously ruthless. Oliver had taken a bludger to the head twice and he was still hanging in there, but they were catching up. Suddenly, I saw the snitch. It was hovering right behind their seeker's head. If he turned around he would have choked on it. So I sneakily started to zig zag across the pitch. He was hovering, watching me. I flew so I was right in front of him and he was sneering at me completely oblivious to what I was up to. I told him he had something in his hair and grabbed the snitch. Gryffindor wins. It was a great day! Not to mention the party afterwards in the tower. Fred and George outdid themselves raiding the kitchen that night." Charlie sighed content in his flashback. The quill released their fingers.
"Charlie that is the coolest thing I have ever heard!" Ginny yelled. "Oh wow, right next to him…how blind could he be?"
"I like the subtle approach," Hermione offered. "It takes patience to out Slytherin a Slytherin." She looked at Charlie with admiration. He smiled modestly in return.
"MY question now." Ginny ordered as the trio replaced their fingers on the quill.
Ginny was an extremely perceptive witch, and as she had watched the course of the game proceed, she had figured out that Charlie was giving Hermione an opportunity to get to know him and be more comfortable around him. She didn't think he minded one bit that it went both ways. So, being her mother's daughter, she asked the question she knew Hermione would want to know but might never ask. "What is one of the books you have read more than ten times." Charlie chuckled at his sister knowing full well that she was on to him.
"And Hermione, Howarts: A History does not count." Ginny said with a stern voice but a huge smile.
"Darn, I will just have to come up with another one!" Charlie shot out surprising the girls. This merely served to cause another fit of giggles. In the middle of all this the door opened. There stood Ron with a very questioning look.
"What's going on up here?" He asked.
"We are playing Flinch." Ginny answered.
"Can I play too?"
"I don't know," Ginny drawled, "Obnoxious brothers are not allowed."
Charlie snorted out a laugh and Hermione tried looking down to control the smile that was trying to force its way onto her face.
"How come he gets to play then?" Ron shot back.
This created another guffaw from the three who were still attached to the quill.
"Well," Ginny said slowly looking from Charlie to Hermione and back again. "I guess we could let you play IF you promise to follow the ground rules."
"What sort of ground rules?" Ron asked slightly afraid of Ginny's answer.
"You can't ask any personal romantic questions and you can't act like a prat or get angry."
"Oh, is that all?" Ron deadpanned.
"Yes, that is all." Ginny retorted sticking her tongue out at him.
"Where should I sit?"
"Sit by Hermione until this round is over and then I'll conjure you a chair. Right now, my wand hand is busy." Charlie said.
"I guess it's my turn right?" Hermione asked looking to Ginny who nodded. Suddenly she felt more nervous. Some of the openness had left and she found herself feeling more guarded. "So a book I have read at least ten times that isn't Howarts: A History…I would have to say Quidditch through the Ages."
Silence.
Complete and utter silence.
"What?" Hermione asked tensely as everyone gaped at her.
"You. You have read Quidditch by the Ages more than TEN times?!" Ron practically yelled.
"Yes, of course I have. It's just about all you and Harry talk about and I read it so I would understand what you were always on about."
"Why didn't you ever tell us? I thought you hated Quidditch?"
Charlie intervened, "Calm down Ron, let the woman explain without a barrage of questions."
"Thanks Charlie," Hermione said gratefully. "As I was saying, Ronald, I wanted to be able to talk with you and Harry and even Ginny about Quidditch so when you guys gave me the book for Christmas a couple of years ago, I read it—a lot—but what I didn't count on was your irrational responses-----"
"Irrational? Bloody hell? Irrational?" Ron sputtered.
"Okay, try Extremely Emotional responses then." Hermione retorted sternly staring at him with one of her famous speak-and-die-young looks. At this point Charlie couldn't hold it in any more and collapsed in laughter. Ginny joined and Hermione felt the chuckle surfacing which caused her menacing look to soften.
"Wow Ron, don't know your friends as well as you thought, do ya, baby brother?" Charlie finally said.
"Shut it Charlie. She never SAYS anything about Quidditch except to tell us we talk about it too much and she won't fly—not since first year. How was I supposed to know she cared?"
"Are you really serious?" Ginny shot into the conversation. "Hermione would do anything for you guys, but you don't even notice half the stuff she does? How thick are you? She talks to me about it frequently and she has very decent opinions!" Ginny continued to defend Hermione. "In fact, it has been Hermione who has encouraged me to try out this year. Hermione who has critiqued my playing to help me overcome my technical weaknesses." Ginny faded off sputtering. Hermione was smiling a small smile down towards the table. Charlie and Ron wore matching stunned expressions.
"I believe it's your turn Charlie." Hermione said softly, trying not to chuckle as she looked up.
"Um, yeah, ok then." He stammered. He cleared his throat, "Let's see, without Howarts: A History possible—"
"Oh not you too!" Ron interrupted.
"Oh no not me too what?" Charlie shot back.
"Have you read that bleedin nap on pages too?"
"Yes, I think I have read it in its entirety fourteen times and I have read selected sections more than that. Now, may I finish my turn?" Charlie asked impatiently. Ron had sure killed his mood, but then he felt Hermione watching him and he looked over straight into her eyes. They were unexpectedly full of fondness and something, was that respect?
"Where were we, ah yes, books I have read more than ten times….I will have to go with the Monster Book of Monsters."
Ginny gaped openly at Charlie. "How in the name of Merlin do you know about that horrible beasty thing? Do you still have all your fingers? How can you read it once much less ten times?" Ginny demanded.
Ron was nodding in agreement. Hermione was biting her lips to keep from laughing. She already knew the answer to this one. She knew that Hagrid and Charlie were close. Back in third year when the boys were not speaking to her much, she had spent quite a bit of time at Hagrid's helping with Buckbeak's defense and knew that Charlie was in regular correspondence with him.
"Where do you think Hagrid got the idea for the book? I sent him one for Christmas." Charlie shrugged. Hermione laughed out loud to the surprise of everyone.
Quickly she stopped. "I uh, well, ahem." Was all she said.
"What's so funny Hermione?" Ginny asked.
"I helped Hagrid with Buckbeak's defense and when it didn't turn out well, I went to check on him after the escape to see if he was alright, and well, I was there the day the owl brought the book. The owl did not look happy at all. I think he may have taken early retirement." She began to laugh again and Charlie and Ginny joined her. Ron was still looking at her like she had grown an extra head.
"So you are the one who helped him, huh? Charlie spoke directly to Hermione. "He mentioned help, but with all the cases he was quoting me I figured it was a ministry witch from magical law enforcement." Charlie said with awe.
"Well, I did a bit of research for him, but obviously it didn't help much since Mr. Malfoy pretty much bought the verdict ahead of time." Hermione shrugged modestly.
"Mione, you never cease to amaze me." Ron said quietly with a look of respect in his eyes.
Charlie looked from Ron to Hermione.
"Thank you Ronald." She replied looking straight into his eyes.
"Ginny. it's your go." Charlie said his mind still on the surprising witch sitting on her bed. He suddenly understood all the 'brightest witch of her age' talk. She was incredibly intelligent. He was impressed. And if he was not mistaken, so was Ron. Well, it was a good thing Ron was joining them so he could figure out just what exactly his brother's intentions toward Hermione were.