Chapter Twenty-One - This is Real:
Charlie left the dance floor both livid and embarrassed.
As soon as the music ended, she had barely gotten a chance to get upright before Felicity marched over and pressed herself sulkily against her date.
The look of hostility the Head Girl had given Charlie was enough for her sparking anger at Sirius to expand tenfold.
This has been such a complete SHIT day, she thought furiously as she sloshed some more cranberry juice into a glass, more out of a need to do something with her hands than actual thirst.
Complete SHIT!
"Sorry, what was that?" asked Selwyn, who must have followed her off the floor.
"I said this day has been complete shit!" she spat without hesitation.
"Ah." His tone teased, but Charlie knew there was an underlying concern.
She turned and leant her bum against the table, clutching her juice close to her face as she took short, dark sips. Selwyn also leant against the table, close enough that his shoulder bumped hers gently.
"I'm not exactly sure what's going on between you two," he said softly, "but it must be pretty messed up if Sirius is letting Felicity dig her claws into him again."
"Did you notice her costume?" asked Charlie sardonically.
"A mermaid. Suits her, hey?"
Charlie nodded, thinking of the screeching, vicious creatures, often with the misconception of beauty, that swam beneath the Black Lake's surface.
Selwyn put his arm around Charlie's shoulders and pulled her warmly against him. She gave a grudging smile as he blew a raspberry on her forehead.
"Listen," he murmured, "whatever has happened, it can't be as bad as you're making it out to be. Especially if it has to do with that sodding flower," he added with a scowl. "One of you has to pull the stick out of your arse and make a move towards peace."
"And you're saying it has to be me?"
"All I'm saying is that the two of you are meant to be good mates. At the least." He fixed her with a knowing look that made the corner of Charlie's lips twitch reluctantly.
"Anyway," he heaved, retracting his arm and straightening the both of them. "Sluggy doesn't look too pleased with my services."
Indeed, Slughorn was watching Selwyn from within the circle of smoking warlocks. He didn't look too impressed.
"I better get going."
As Selwyn got back to serving, Charlie wearily decided she'd had enough. She should never have come to the party in the first place.
Wanting nothing more than to curl up in her bed, she made her way through the crowds and began moving towards the exit – until she noticed something that made her eyes widen and jaw tighten.
After a moment's hesitation and a good mental cuss, Charlie stalked over to the gap in the wall drapes where – if she wasn't mistaken – she'd just seen Rurik disappear, hand in hand with Leonie.
She slipped between the curtains of material and as the outside sounds of revelry muffled, she found herself in a small room. It was dark and undecorated, lit only by the orange haze that filtered through the drapes. Charlie would later ponder why the cube of a room even existed, but at that moment Rurik and Leonie had found a very good purpose for it. Pressed up against the far corner, the two of them were giggling softly and whispering as they kissed.
"Rurik!" said Charlie, her harsh voice cracking like a whip.
The two broke apart and Rurik answered Charlie with a surprisingly innocent expression.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, shocked. When he didn't answer, she turned to Leonie. Surely after realising that her attraction to Rurik wasn't genuine, and after hearing Sara's warning... Why would she let this happen?
Charlie's eyes searched hers. "... Leonie?"
"Charlie..." she said, frowning as if at a complete loss as to why Charlie was involving herself. "H-hi...?"
Charlie narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing, Leonie?" she pressed.
"Charlie..." It was Rurik, watching her suspiciously. "What are you doing?"
She stared back at him in disbelief. "Y-you!" she cried. "After what you told me –"
"Charlie –" His eyes widened.
"Charlie!" Leonie's eyes were wide and beseeching. "I like him," she said softly. "I really... like him."
She thought she had feelings outside of the Veela magic. She thought her feelings were real.
Rurik was now staring at the two of them, a look of revelation slowly dawning across his handsome features.
Charlie shook her head sadly.
"Even if that is true..." she told Leonie. She sighed, struggling to say the next words, "Leonie... he doesn't like you."
Leonie's lip trembled. Her gaze grew suddenly sharp and heated.
"Sorry?" she said acidly.
"He doesn't fancy you, Leonie, he's probably just using you for a good snog. It's the truth, I'm sorry –"
"Why would you say something like that?" she asked, her words rushing frantically from her lips. "How would you even know –? Why would you follow us in here and say something like that?"
"It's the truth, Leonie you deserve to know!" she cried. "Especially if you really like him! Getting off with him – you're just setting yourself up to get hurt!" She turned angrily to Rurik. "Tell her! Tell her what you told me! Tell her why I'm disgusted by you right now."
Even as Leonie faced him expectantly, Rurik kept him mouth firmly shut. Charlie couldn't believe it. She met his gaze levelly.
"I thought you were such a rare, decent guy," she told him softly. "But I was wrong."
"Leave us alone, Charlie!" cried Leonie suddenly, her voice shaking. "Just leave!"
She did, but not before giving them both a hard, disappointed stare.
Her mood and mindset was positively dark as she stepped back out into the party. Glaring, she shoved past guests to get to the arched exit.
"Hey!" Someone protested as she pushed past, and then when she continued without a glance back, "Hey!"
Against her better judgement, Charlie turned, eyes already shooting daggers. It was Felicity Parkinson, with a wet stain down the front of her bikini-style top and a half empty glass sloshing about in her hand.
"Are you kidding me?" snapped the Head Girl. "This is the second time your clumsiness has fucked me over, Frazier!"
Selwyn appeared by Charlie's side, face set. "What's going on?"
"Leave it, Selwyn," Charlie muttered, just as Felicity spat, "I was just asking this inept bint to stay the fuck out of my way."
Selwyn gave a shout of warning but Felicity ignored it and added heatedly, glaring at Charlie, "And you know what else? I saw you with Sirius during the Courtship. He's my date, and I better not see you with your hands all over him again, Mudblood, or –"
"Oi!" roared Selwyn, just as Charlie leapt forward. Her resolve had finally snapped and, blood boiling, she swung her fist forward with as much force as she could muster until it collided with the Head Girl's twisted face.
All hell broke loose. People swarmed and shouted. Felicity's nose started gushing dark blood. For a moment, Charlie just stood in the centre, her mind clouded with anger. Everything became suddenly detached.
A distant voice in her mind sneered, Maybe Rurik's not the only one who needs anger management classes...
Suddenly, Felicity launched herself at Charlie, nose bleeding and shrieking obscenities. Charlie blinked back into reality, but Selwyn was already bullying his way between in an attempt to restrain the Ravenclaw. Someone grabbed Charlie around the waist.
"Don't you ever call me that again!" she found herself yelling over Felicity's screeches, grappling with whoever held her back. "Don't you ever –"
She was being pulled out of Slughorn's quarters and soon found herself in the corridor. Panting heavily, she broke out of her restraint just as Sirius ordered, "What the fuck has gotten into you, Frazier?"
"You!" Charlie whirled on him. "You –" She stepped forward and brought her palm to his cheek in a stinging slap.
The sound – resounding throughout the hallways – rung in her ears.
She stared at Sirius in shock. Her anger immediately gave way to a flurry of fear, distress and appal.
Their ragged breathing was the only sound in the halls. His cheek was growing pink. He stared at her, eyes dark and hard.
She felt as if someone had slapped her.
And then Charlie stumbled backwards with a sob. She stumbled and Sirius followed. Her back hit the wall and although she tried to look away, his hands took firm hold of either side of her face. Next thing she knew, he was kissing her.
She gasped against his mouth and kissed him back with everything she had. White noise rushed in her ears. She clutched at his robes, wanting him ever closer even as he moulded his body against hers.
Because all of a sudden, she needed him to know; needed him to understand how she felt. How she felt without him. How unbearable it was.
She poured everything into that kiss; her apology and regret, her anger, her need ...
It ended as it had in the Forbidden Forest, with Sirius pressing his forehead to hers. His hands still held her face and she looked up at him, already afraid of what had just happened.
His grey eyes were turbulent as they searched hers.
"How can you not believe this?" he whispered, shaking his head slightly. "How can you not believe... This is real."
She stared at him. He was so beautiful, it was heartbreaking.
The blazing light from Slughorn's archway that split the darkness of the corridor was suddenly interrupted by a frantic silhouette.
Leonie Franks ran into the hallway. She was crying.
"Leonie?" Charlie broke away from Sirius and immediately moved towards the distraught girl.
"Charlie!" she cried, her voice thick and shaking. Tears streamed down her beautiful face. "Ch-Charlie, I'm s-so sorry..."
"No, shh, it's okay..."
"I have to l-leave... P-Please, let's l-leave..."
"Leonie?" Sara appeared in the archway. She saw the two girls holding each other and ran forward. "What happened? Are you okay?"
A door opened down the hallway and they all turned to see Lily moving towards them, clutching the skirt of her ragged gown. It was clear from her the tight corners of her mouth and the strict line of her brow that she was angry.
"Lily... What happened?" asked Sara.
As the redhead drew closer, she noticed Leonie and her anger cleared to be replaced with concern.
"Nothing," she said, taking hold of Leonie's arm with a frown. "Nothing... Let's leave."
The trio hurried down the darkened hallway. And with one sorry glance back at Sirius, Charlie joined them.
A/N: Very short, but fairly intense, too. What do we think about Charlie's actions throughout this chapter?
Guys, thanks so much to everyone who answered my question last week! I was so overwhelmed by how many people actually took the time to think about their favourite character and give reasons too! Really, you guys are so amazing, and I promise I will get to replying to every one of your reviews!
So, special thanks go to: Pink-And-Green-Jellybean, Merry Wanderer of the Night, Cole the Demon Hunter, brookiecookie1024, feerose, talyag (It's so wonderful to hear that you can relate, that's probably one of the best things a writer can hear! But in saying that - I'm so sorry about Rurik in this chapter!), Sam, HarryPotterGeneration, Nelle07, Hellfire Putten Ninja, Dancing in a Midnight Storm, Cisselah, AaheliBlack, Rusichan, Rebakah, Sawyer, potterforever098, Erya, Anitina and mixedbreedswag! You guys rock more than rocks do!
And in case anyone was curious, Selwyn is my favourite character :) I was over the moon to hear that other people love him too! He's just got those typical teenage boy characteristics, but he's not cocky like James or Sirius and he's such a great friend to Charlie. Oh, and protective Selwyn is always fun to write haha
Hope you're all enjoying the story,
- the punchline.