Charlie lumbered down the stairs late Sunday morning. The Gryffindor common room was unusually empty. Normally people sauntered down to breakfast at random times over the weekend. He checked the time and cursed. Katherine waited for him.
She frowned when she caught sight of him racing down the marble stairs.
"What took you so long?" She pecked his cheek. "I've been missing all the good gossip."
Charlie bit back a sigh. "I'm sure it's nothing important."
"Not from what I hear. Apparently, Dana Ashland shagged Rhys McNair. Can you imagine? But I guess Americans are just that easy." She waved a hand.
Charlie froze. "What?"
"Yeah. That's probably where she was rushing off to yesterday." Katherine giggled.
"No. She was distraught yesterday and jumpy. The only way…" Charlie's insides heaved. That son of a bitch. He withdrew his wand and marched toward the Great Hall.
"Charlie!" Katherine called after him.
He didn't respond, not when he spotted 'Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dangerous.
"McNair," Charlie barked.
The Slytherin turned away from his laughing friends. He gave Charlie a cocky smile. "Ah Weasley, I was just regaling my romp with the yank. Care to listen?"
"No, you listen, you git. Dana would never stoop as low as to shag you. Just because you can't get a girl-with or without consent-doesn't give you the right to make up a tale."
McNair's face paled for a moment at Charlie's mention of consent, but he replaced it quickly. "How noble? Are you jealous that I got to her first?"
Charlie brandished his wand, sparks already jumping out. But before he could do anything, a mass of brown hair and steam can barreling toward them.
Up until now, Charlie thought only dragons and a few other species could breathe fire. It seemed Dana could to.
"What the Hell?" She hissed.
"This bastard is spreading rumors about you." Charlie didn't dare loosen his grip on his wand. "I'm setting it right."
"And what gives you the right?" She glared at him with vivid blue-green eyes. He'd noticed how bright they were yesterday.
"What?" Charlie blinked. "I'm just trying to help."
"Well, I don't need it," she snapped.
"Look, Love. What we had may have been hot, but that doesn't mean I need to hear your issues." McNair leaned back against the table in a cocky stance.
"You." She rounded on McNair. "I have never wanted you, nor will I want you. Your advances yesterday were unwelcome and I made you pay for them. But now I think I was too lenient."
She flicked her wand and McNair soared over the table. Dishes and goblets clattered to the ground. The whole hall fell silent.
Dana stepped onto the bench and then onto the table, keeping her wand pointed at McNair.
"I did not have sex with Rhys McNair. He is a liar and a bully and tries to force himself on girls without their consent," she announced.
"Ms. Ashland." Professor McGonagall hurried down the hall. "This is not proper behavior!"
"But Professor, McNair tried to assault her." Tory Gracling stood.
Professor McGonagall's face pinched. "That is a heavy accusation, Ms. Gracling? Is there any proof?"
"Only my account." Dana didn't budge.
"Very well, both Mr. McNair and Ms. Ashland will come with me. As for the rest of you," her eyes swept the room. "I expected to hear nothing of this again."
Dana grumbled and pocketed her wand.
"You bitch." McNair leapt to his feet.
Charlie's heart seized. But Professor McGonagall swung around, her wand out. McNair's wand flew into her outstretched hand.
"I believe that's enough, Mr. McNair." Professor McGonagall marched McNair out of the Great Hall, Dana trudging behind.
As soon as the doors swung shut behind them, the hall erupted. Speculation and stories whizzed by Charlie's numb brain.
A hand took his arm. Instead of looking down at Katherine, Charlie found himself steered to the Gryffindor table by Elizabeth.
"Good on yah, mate." Ed nodded as Charlie sat down. "I would have done the same thing. Hell, I would have killed the git."
"Dana didn't want anyone knowing." Elizabeth tapped the corner of an open letter on the table.
"A little late now." Owen kept his gaze locked on the Slytherins.
"Well, that bastard deserves to get in trouble." Charlie pushed away his plate. His appetite had failed him. "She should have reported him right after it happened."
"Look at what McGonagall said." Elizabeth shook her head. "Dana barely has any actual evidence. She wasn't hurt, just shaken up. If this is brought to a trail, she could be forced to relive the encounter again and again and who the hell knows if it's going to result in anything."
Charlie curled his fist over his fork. "That's not right."
"No, it isn't," Elizabeth sighed. "But unfortunately, that's the way our world works. I'll bet you anything that those Slytherins over there are saying that Dana probably deserved it, that she asked for it."
"Not anymore, they're not." Owen chuckled.
Charlie turned to see a group of Slytherins all covered in Bat Bogies as Tory was scolded by Professor Snape. "She'll get detention for that one."
"I'm pretty sure she doesn't care," Ed said.
Elizabeth stared at the letter in her hand.
"What?" Charlie furrowed his brow at her confused face.
"Nothing, well not nothing." She bit her lip. "This is Dana's letter."
"Then you should probably return it."
"But, I sort of saw it…" A sheepish grin flashed across her face.
"Of course you did." Charlie rolled his eyes. "You should keep it to yourself."
Ed snorted. "She'll never do that, Mate."
Elizabeth smacked him in the arm. "Well, I would, but I can't."
"And why is that?" Charlie leaned forward.
"Because this is a birthday card."
Charlie blinked. "Wait, what?"
"It's Dana's birthday. Her seventeenth birthday."
"She's having a hell of a birthday." Ed shook his head.
"Exactly, which is why I think we should throw her a party."
"You just threw a party." Charlie winced at the memory of his headache.
"A Halloween party. Birthday's are different. I plan to throw you one in December." She pointed her fork in Charlie's direction.
"Don't argue, Mate." Ed shook his head.
"I'm glad someone agrees, because I need all of your help." Elizabeth smiled.
Owen groaned and buried himself in his plate. "You had to volunteer all of us."
"Oh, shut up. I wanted you to provide the music." Elizabeth stuck her tongue in Owen's direction. "I know Ed can get us booze. Though, I'm still a loss for food."
"Did someone say food?" Fred leaned over from far down the table. "We can get you food, right George?"
"I would say so." They shared twin smiles.
"Okay then." Elizabeth's eyes widened. "I guess we have food. All I need now is someone to keep Dana away from Gryffindor tower."
Charlie gulped as her gaze found him. "Why me?"
"Because you two speak the same language. When you want to." Elizabeth waved her hand.
"Why not Tonks or Tory?"
"Charlie Weasley, you've been a git since the beginning of the year and I am tired of it." She stared him down. "You're gonna take your head out of your arse and help make her birthday great. Especially since the only thing the boys in our school have done so far is give her hell."
The pit in Charlie's stomach deepened. Hanging his head, he busied himself by shoving as many pastries he could into a napkin.
"Well, I better go find her then." He stood. "Not that I know where McGonagall took her."
"They're with Dumbledore in his office," George said.
The four sixth years turned to stare at the first years.
"How the hell do you know that?" Ed asked.
Fred shrugged. "Friends of ours."
"They scare me some days," Owen whispered.
"Not as much as Elizabeth." Charlie clapped him on the shoulder.
"If I were you, I'd watch out for Dana's hexes."
"And left hook." Ed chuckled. "God, I can't wait until we play Slytherin. She will draw blood."
Charlie shook his head and left his friends talking about retaliation. McNair didn't deserve any more of their attention.
Gargoyle Corridor remained quiet. Ignoring the stares of the gargoyles, Charlie found himself a seat against the wall.
He'd had plans today. Well, he had homework. Now he had to babysit. Not like he hadn't had to with Ron and Ginny. Of course he used to just give them wizard crackers and let them be entertained. Dana wasn't as easily amused.
Stone screeched against stone as the gargoyles moved. Charlie leapt to his feet.
A tousled Dana emerged. Her lifeless eyes met Charlie.
"I-I thought you could use some food." Charlie winced at his words.
"Thanks." She took the napkin from him.
"I'm sorry for making a scene." Charlie fell in step with her. "I was just pissed."
"You don't need to apologize. I should thank you for standing up for me. I've never had anyone do that." She picked at her food. "No one really cared before."
He scoffed his foot. "I'm sure your friends in the states would have done the same."
"They wouldn't need to. This wouldn't have happened since I was practically invisible."
"Oh."
"And now I've made you uncomfortable." She tried to laugh, but it died out.
"No, you didn't." He paused. "What happened up there, if you don't mind me asking."
"Well Dumbledore had both of us tell our side. Of course there was no proof, so it was just his word against mine. Then Dumbledore did this weird thing and literally took our memories and put them into a pensieve. Obviously, it showed that I told the truth. So, McNair got 50 points taken from Slytherin and he's having a serious talk with McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Snape about his punishment."
"Good. He deserved it."
"Yeah, well McGonagall also took ten points from a Gryffindor."
Charlie sputtered. "Why? You were the victim!"
"Apparently my behavior in the Great Hall was 'unbefitting of a Gryffindor.'" She stuck her tongue out. "Whatever. As long as I don't need to hear about that scum ever again, I could care less."
Tears formed at the corner of her eyes, brightening them. Charlie's heart seized.
"Hey." He placed a hand on her shoulder.
She stiffened.
Charlie let go fast. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
"No. It's all right." Dana wrapped her arms around herself. "It's stupid. I should be over this."
Charlie bit back a curse and held out his hand. "Come with me."
Dana stared at it. "Where?"
"Somewhere we can forget everyone." He smiled. "Trust me."
For a baited breath, Dana hung back. Then her hand slipped into his.
A tingle shot up his arm. Charlie brushed it off and pulled Dana along. They slipped down the corridors to the first floor and out the castle doors.
The cool November air blasted into Charlie. Bollocks, their coats were in the Gryffindor tower and Elizabeth would have his head if they went back there.
"Holy mother of God." Dana danced in place. "Is this how you plan to make me forget, by freezing me?"
"Let's run to Hagrid's. He'll have coats." Charlie smiled. "Plus it's good training."
"You're an ass." Dana's hand slipped from his and she took off running.
Charlie rubbed his hand, missing her warmth. "Now that's not fair!"
Dana turned around around and stuck out her tongue. It elicited a laugh from him before he hurried off after her. On a normal day, a run across the green wouldn't have caused his lungs to tense up. But, as he staggered along, he found his breath shortening.
Energy coursed through his body. Not the type of energy that came from the adrenaline of a game or face to face with a dragon. This was softer. Sort of like the energy on a Christmas morning, even knowing all that waited him was one of his mum's jumpers.
Hagrid's hut loomed in the distance. Charlie surged forward, breezing past Dana. She squeaked and her hand fisted the back of his shirt. He stumbled.
"Hey!" He turned toward her.
Their bodies collided and they fell to the ground, a tangle of limbs. The impact jarred Charlie, but Dana's soft breath on his cheek erased the pain. For a moment, he found himself lost in her blue-green eyes.
"I'm sorry!" Dana scrambled off him.
As soon as her warm body left, Charlie was blasted by icy air. "It was my fault," he grunted as he sat up.
"Still, that must have hurt." She offered her hand. "I'm not exactly tiny."
"Don't make it sound like that's a bad thing." Charlie let her pull him to his feet. "I'd doubt you would be as good of a beater if you were pixie size." He reached over and plucked a leaf from Dana's hair.
She blushed. "But you didn't think I was good enough for the team originally."
He bit the inside of his lip at the mention. "And you keep proving me wrong."
She ducked her head and scoffed her foot on the ground. "You don't mean that. All I've brought the team so far is trouble."
Charlie's insides pooled. "That's-"
"Well, it's about ruddy time you two came to visit me." Hagrid's voice boomed.
They turned toward the hut, just as Fang barrelled out of the open door. Dana hit the ground again, shrieking as Fang slobbered over her.
Charlie chuckled. After a moment, he wrestled the dog off. Fang, in turn, grabbed Charlie's pant leg and began to playfully pull.
"Hagrid? A little help here." Charlie bounced on one foot, trying to keep his balance.
"Get off, Fang, get off." Hagrid took Fang by the scruff of the neck and hauled him away from Charlie. The boarhound wagged his tail, slobber dripping out of his mouth. "You all right?"
Dana staggered to her feet. "I've had worse."
"Aye, I heard." Hagrid shooed them inside. The warmth of the hut cocooned them.
"Great." Dana sank into one of the overly large seats.
Charlie busied himself with the coats hanging near the door. He was sure he left at least one here the last time.
"If you don't want to talk, I won't be pushing yah." Hagrid placed a kettle over the fire. "How about some tea?"
"Tea would be nice." Dana closed her eyes. "So would forgetting this day."
"We can only stay for a bit, Hagrid." Charlie pulled out two small coats.
"Why?" Dana peered at him.
"I figured we could go collect some unicorn hair. My rope is almost finished." Charlie held a coat out to her.
"I think it's best if I join you." Hagrid checked the kettle. "We don't want any more trouble with you in the forest."
Dana sat silent for a moment, studying both of them. "You know what, I would love that."
