Chapter 26 Charlie

His parents did not come to pick Cedric and Cho up. He asked them not to, thinking it would be more enjoyable to find the way home theirselve. He looked at her face, she was thinking and he could guess about what. She didn't talk for her mother for a year now. He knew it hurt her but she would not tell him whatever he tried. Now they were laughing though, about something pretty stupid he did, but a loving gesture it was.

'I can't believe you cursed that boy in the train,' Cho laughed.

Cedric snickered and he held her hand and made her spin a circle on the street. Cho giggled. How he loved that giggle.

'Well he was bothering you,' he said in defense. Cho raised her eyebrows cynical.

'Right.' she said.

'No harm is done,' Cedric grinned. 'An innocent spell,'

'Mhh, I can start about you and David having wands in your nose?' Cho said grinning.

'Don't you dare!' Cedric said and poked her waist laughing.

The house on the hill stood into the bright sunlight and looked peaceful. Cedric smiled. Home always felt more like home when Cho came along, and his mother came running outside.

'Oh Cho dear!' she said as she pulled her in a tight hug. 'We are so glad to have you again!'

His mother kissed his cheeks, Cho clearly glad with this warm welcome.

'Where is Charlie?' Cho asked Cedric once they were outside. He didn't thought this question would come, he didn't expect. He should have.

'With Selene,' Cedric answered and he got all pale. Why did she ask about Charlie? He wasn't supposed to be in this conversation.

Cho looked at him. 'Ok?' she said measuring, looking at Cedric's face. He stared back, his eyes a little panicking.

'Will I see him? I made him a music box you see, I think it will calm him down,' Cho said.

Cedric looked at her.

'My brother isn't a charity case.' he said cold, but worry sounded through his voice. He tried to act he would not care but failed already.

'I know that,' Cho said taken off guard. 'I'm just trying to be nice,'

'You made him a music box! You never even made me a music box…' Cedric muttered, trying to get her attention on something else.

'I didn't know you liked them…' Cho said blinking. 'What's wrong with you? Are you jealous on Charlie too?'

'No! You don't understand…'

'Than help me understand!' and he could hear the angry tremble in her voice.

'Charlie is dangerous.' Cedric said and looked at her.

'You keep saying that, but I don't believe it,'

Cedric looked desperate. Charlie almost drowned her! He almost killed his little beauty and now… now she wanted to see him again!

Cedric saw her thinking. 'Let it go Cho,' Cedric said.

'You're really being a jerk.' Cho said. He saw her watery eyes…

Cedric flinched and looked at her. 'Cho, sorry I didn't…'

'Yeah right!' Cho interrupted him angry and she stumbled downstairs.

He moved into his room, sighing and trembling. How could he make her see she could not be with his brother without getting hurt! Without getting them both hurt.

'Hi, Charlie!' he could hear and then his mother, calling Cedric's name. He immidiatly ran down.

'What's he doing here?' he hissed. He stood behind Cho, his arms on her shoulders but she shook them off.

'Cho…' Charlie muttered. 'See, Charlie didn't hurt you. Charlie didn't. Cho is alive, Cho is well. Charlie doesn't kill, no Charlie is good. Good Charlie.'

Cedric stopped walking, becoming pale.

Cho smiled sheepishly and not understanding. Cedric was glad cause of that, she probably thought he was just saying some silly crazy things.

'Of course I'm not hurt Charlie,' she said.

'Cho I really think we should go back upstairs,' Cedric said tensed and held her arm. They had to, this would spoil everything!

'Oh, let go off me!' Cho said and she took the little music box out of her pocket. Cedric stepped back, he cringed, glad Cho did not look into his eyes.

'Charlie, I made you something, would you like to have it?' she asked carefully.

Charlie looked up. 'Cho made Charlie a present?' he asked.

Cho nodded.

'Sweet Cho, ' Charlie murmured and Cho took a timid step forward and Charlie waited. Cedric tensed seeing his brother wait, could not bear it then and stepped forwards as well.

'Give me that, I will give it to him,' Cedric said and took the music box. Cho stared at him unbelieving. But she could not touch him, he would betray everything about the hidden memory!

Charlie panicked from the sudden change. 'No! It's not Cho's present if Cho doesn't give it, Charlie doesn't want present from Cedric! Cedric was mean to Charlie! You killed her Charlie you killed her! He kept yelling! Charlie doesn't want present from Cedric!'

Cedric blinked and his breathing was ragged. What did he think! What did his brother think, that he could screw up everything! Cho took back her musicbox, looking not understanding as she handed it to his brother.

'When you spin that, you will hear music.' she said gentle. Cedric admired the way she tried to search contact with his brother but he was so scared, so tensed that his brother would hurt his eternal sunshine.

Charlie did so. First slowly, measuring and then as little tunes came out, his mouth corners curled and he started to spin it. He made a squealing noise and Cho seemed pleased seeing he really liked it. Cedric could not deny a little smile but then tensed up again.

'Charlie, what do we say when you got a present?' Mrs. Diggory said. Her voice trembled, just as Cedric's body. He never felt this scared before and he hoped Cho did not feel as he stood half in front of her protecting.

'Thank you Cho,' Charlie whispered. 'Cho is sweet, Charlie is glad he didn't kill Cho, that would have made Charlie very sad,'

'You didn't kill me?' Cho said asking. Cedric tensed.

'Ok! Let's go upstairs!' He said quickly.

'Get him out of here,' he hissed to his mother. What on earth did they think! Getting Charlie here? When Cho came? Did they want to scatter everything!

'Cedric what is going on?' Cho asked but he pushed her into the hall. He could not tell her, he could not!

'Bye Cho,' he heard Charlie whisper and the soft tune of the music box. It almost made him sick, Charlie talking to her like that…

'That was very sweet of you,' Cedric managed to get out once he forced her upstairs. He sounded hoarse though, and scared.

Cho pushed him softly though. 'What on earth is wrong with you? And where was Charlie talking about?'

'Nothing Cho, as I said, he is not well,'

Cho looked at him suspicious but Cedric made sure she could not read his face. Not this time, it was way too important.

'Cedric you are hiding something from me!' Cho said unhappy.

Cedric looked at the ground, he was ashamed, and hurt that she did not trust him though he could understand but still it was…

Then he heard soft sobbing. Cho had wrapped her arms around herself, while she cried softly against her shoulder.

'Oh no, oh nonono, Cho don't do that, don't cry, oh my love don't cry,' said panicky and locked her in his embrace while making soft hushing sounds.

'Cho, I'm just trying to protect you, please don't cry, my sunshine, please…' he mumbled and kissed her hair. She had to stop crying, he couldn't handle it. His poor Cho… his poor little beauty.

Cho cried only harder. He panicked slightly.

'Oh honey, you were so sweet, it was so sweet of you to give Charlie that, really, but I'm just so afraid he will hurt you, but you saw how happy you made him?' Cedric said in attempt to comfort her. And it was true, she had been so sweet but he was so scared…

'Y-yes...' Cho sobbed.

'Shh,' Cedric said a bit hopeless. What did he do?

Cho wiped her tears away and Cedric relaxed a little as she stopped crying. He trembled still though, trying to hush the last sobbing as well.

'You were mean,' Cho said truthfully.

Cedric opened his mouth to say something but closed it again and started to kiss her face as apology. How stupid could he have been, he was such a jerk! Cho sniffed but chuckled softly than. Till he kissed her neck and the chuckle turned into laughing as he pressed her on the bed while tickling her.

'Alright, alright you are forgiven!' She laughed.

Cedric smiled looking at her.

'I'm sorry,' he said.

'I know,' Cho answered.

And it was alright again.