…Mourning…
I awake early the next morning. Mum was shaking me awake. Izzy was already awake next to Ginny and Mrs. Weasley. "You know this was my dorm when I was your age." mum sighs reminiscing. She leans under my bed. I watch her as she opens a floorboard. She points at it "I got locked out of my house one night over the summer. I never did return the clothes your father let me borrow that night. My friends searched the room for hours looking for the clothes." I stare at her in shock. Izzy sits on Ginny's bed in disbelief. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were both blushing madly.
I dress quietly as the others chatter lightly. When I was done, we went to the hospital to visit Harry. He was dressed and talking with Ava, Lucas, and Dad. We headed down to the Leaving Feast.
Everyone now knew about Diggory's death and like us were dressed black. There was a small ceremony for Cedric in honor of him. Everyone gave his family their condolences.
"Shame, he was so nice." Daxton whispers quietly to Izzy. Izzy dabbed at her eyes. My eyes had begun to mist over. "Here you go." Blaise whispers handing me a napkin. I dab at my eyes. Mum and dad never left Harry's side the entire time. I stayed with my friends.
I made my way over to Cho Chang to give her my regards, but when she looked up at me, I gave her a hug. She didn't necessarily look like she could stand much longer. I sit by her and she put her head on my shoulder. Luna came by and patted Cho's back comfortingly.
I made my way over to Harry. I gave him a hug. He looked broken. He seemed to be not entirely here. "Would you like to go over to Ron and Hermione?" I ask in a whisper. He nods and looks at my parents who nod. We go over and Hermione gives him a hug.
I find Ginny packing later that day. My mum had already packed my things and taken it along with Ava's, Lucas', and Izzy's. I sit on my bed. There was a note. I read it and rushed from the room.
"You made it." Blaise smiles as I join him in the empty classroom, he told me to come to. He still had red eyes. He was leaning on a desk. "You're not okay, are you?" I ask. He says nothing. I walk over and hug him. He looks at me in shock. "Don't lie to me. If I'm not allowed to lie to you, you damn well can't lie to me. You don't have to put on an act for me." I press myself against him and I bury my face in his neck. He slowly wraps his arms around me. "You're right. I'm not okay." he says, and his voice cracks. I stay there with my arms around him comforting him the best I could.
…Leaving…
I say good-bye to Daxton and join the others in the carriages. We climb aboard the train. I put my head on Izzy's shoulder. We arrive at the station. I gulp seeing mum and dad waiting. I disembark with the others. Thankfully, Harry was already there.
I see Blaise talking to his mother down the way. He looks much better now. His eyes were no longer red. Mum wraps an arm around me, and we walk through the barrier after dad and Harry. We go to the car and put Harry's things away. Harry sits next Izzy. We made it home and dad took Harry's things to the guest bedroom.
I go upstairs to my room. Harry knocked and entered with Izzy right behind him. They close the door. "I met your dad one weekend at Hogsmeade you know. He wanted to know if I'd seen you around with Zabini. Think I should have told him about what I saw in the empty classroom before we left Hogwarts?" Harry jokes lightly, and I go red. I stumble into my suitcase and my sketchbook with the drawing of Blaise falls out. Harry snatches it and flips through the drawings. "I heard from Luna that she thought she saw Blaise kissing you in the library and how he kept pulling you into empty halls and classrooms." Izzy laughs lightly. I go a deeper shade of red.
We go down to dinner that evening and had a nice meal. Harry was shocked to meet Kreacher, but Kreacher was on his best behavior. Over the next two weeks aunts and uncles came and went getting the whole story from mum and dad. Sadly, we had to take Harry to the Dursley's.
I was rolling around on my bed trying to think of the most positive things when an owl taps on my window. I jump up and run over to it. I throw the window open and the owl hops inside. I retrieve the note from its leg, then give it a treat. It hoots happily and flies back out the window.
I made sure my door was closed. I opened and read the note. It said: I MISS YOU, B.Z. I let out a sigh and place it inside my sketchbook right next to its owner's picture.
"Charlotte Black." mum calls. I wipe any lingering traces of emotion from my face. I go down to the study where I found mum and dad. They wave for me to sit down. "With everything that's been going on we haven't been able to talk to you." mum starts. I shift uncomfortably in my seat. "You said he was acquaintance, but he said you were friends. Why is that?" mum asks with a smile. "It depends on his behavior. It varies every hour." I reply. "Are you sure? The way he looked at you…" dad trails off looking at mum. I give them an innocent smile "What do you mean?" Mum scoffs "Don't even try that young missy. Tell the truth." Dad and mum give me a look. "He just finds me interesting." I mumble and fidget in my seat. "He seemed nice. He did find you for me. He seemed to know exactly where you would be." mum smiles at dad.
I hear a knock at the door and breathe a sigh of relief. "Come on in Izzy." Izzy walks in followed by uncle Remus. "Did we interrupt something?" uncle Remus asks in amusement. "Oh, good Remus you're here. You can provide some insight. You too Izzy." dad says smiling. I fidget in my seat. "You know this Zabini boy Remus?" mum asks glancing at uncle Remus.
"Ah, Mr. Zabini. I know him. He's a quiet kid." he responds with a smirk. Mum turned to Izzy. "He talked to Char a lot and danced with her at the ball, but that's all I'm allowed to tell." she states defiantly. Mum gives her a once over. It looks like my, avoid questioning lessons were paying off. "Ah, the Yule Ball. He's the one in your drawing, isn't he?" mum questions leaning back in her seat. I pale and Izzy looks extremely flustered.
"So, what is he really?" mum asks. "We really are just acquaintances." I reiterate. Dad chuckles and mum shakes her head dramatically. "Yeah, sure, and your mum and dad were just friends for a little over a decade." uncle Remus snickers. Mum throws him a shocked glance at which he shrugs off. "Since your still in denial you and your sister can go. We need a word or two with your uncle." dad sighs lazily.
We leave the study. I go to the kitchen and chug some water. I go back up to my room and took a nap.
…Grimmauld Place…
The weeks pass and the Weasleys moved to Grimmauld Place since it was the meeting place for the Order. I was helping Ginny and her brothers take their bags upstairs when Grandma Black's portrait started screeching.
"Heard your stressing your parents out with that Zabini boy lately Charlotte!" she screeches. Ginny lets out a laugh. "Oh, shush the two of you." I blush and hurry up the stairs with Ginny's bags. "You act just like your mother before she admitted she liked your father!" she screams after me.
I put Ginny's bags onto her bed. Hermione was staying in the same room with her. Ginny finally makes it up the stairs still laughing. As she crossed over the door Hermione popped out from behind it scaring her. Ginny gives a scream and then starts playfully hitting Hermione. Fred and George poke their heads in to see what the commotion was.
"What was your gran screaming about earlier Charlotte?", they ask mischievously. Hermione and Ginny fall into fits of giggles. "Do you think it's the same guy as the one she was screaming about in the dorm?" Fred asks George. I throw a pillow at them, and they ducked descending the stairs laughing.
"How bad was the questioning?" Ginny asks as she calms down. I pale. "That bad?" Hermione whispers. "Oh please. Mum and dad knew the moment they saw the way he looked at her. He didn't really notice or see anyone else.", Izzy smiles from the doorway, "Then there was the note he sent her." Hermione and Ginny's jaws dropped. Izzy claspes her hands together and mockingly whispers "I miss you." They let out squeals and I go into a deeper shade of red.
Once they calmed, I shifted the conversation from me to Ginny. When dinner was ready, we went downstairs. Grandma Black was smirking at me satisfactorily as I pass.
We receive word from Dumbledore that Harry had been caught using magic again because Dementors had attacked him at home. Dad left immediately. I went to inform the others. I'd just finished telling everyone and was sitting on Hermione's bed when we heard a tap at the window.
It was the same owl who had delivered Blaise's first note. I open the window and the owl entered. I gave him some treats as I untied the note. He hoots happily and flies back out the window and I close it. As I turn around Hermione, Izzy, and Ginny were smirking.
"How much do you want to bet he wants to know why you aren't responding. You know I don't think he likes it when you ignore him." Izzy teases. I open the note and sure enough written in an irritated scrawl were the words: WHY AREN'T YOU ANSWERING ME? YOU KNOW YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO RUN FROM ME WHEN WE'RE AT SCHOOL. I give an involuntary shudder as thoughts of what was written between the lines popped into my head.
I run to the desk in the room and hurriedly write a reply telling him about how he was right about the questioning. I go over to Blue. "You know where this goes." I tie the letter to her outstretched leg, and I open the window for her to fly out. I watch as she soar into the night sky.
When I turn around, I see mum and the girls reading the note. "He acts just like your dad." mum gives a girlish giggle. She winks at me as she leaves the room. The girls erupt into laughter. Harry joined everyone at Grimmauld Place when his trial was over. I went with mum and dad to get school supplies. They were discussing the books with Ava and Lucas. Izzy was in another stack of books. I wandered the store scanning the books.
"You answered my last note very quickly.", Blaise whispers from behind a stack of books to my right. I jump. He smiles and shakes his head. He pulls me towards him. "So, I was right you did get questioned. Ah, then you didn't even respond to me until I sent a second note.", he speaks with a lazy tone as he draws light circles on my arms, "Thoughts started running around in your head as you read it. Smart girl. You read between the lines." I shiver as my eyes meet his. He smirks enjoying my reaction. "As nice as this coincidental meeting has been, I have to go now." he kisses my forehead and leaves the stack of books joining his mother as she leaves the shop. Oh boy. I'm in trouble when I get to Hogwarts, I curse myself as he leaves. We finish our shopping and Izzy keeps smirking at me.
When we get home, Izzy runs upstairs to Ginny and Hermione's room. I follow close behind her. "You missed it." she gasps in excitement. Hermione and Ginny's jaw drop. "No! I thought it would happen at the station." Hermione gapes in disbelief. I hold up a hand. "Are you guys making bets on my friendship with Blaise?" I ask looking at them. "Luna started it." Ginny mumbles. I sit on the floor. "Anyways, they were half hidden behind a stack of books. From the look he gave her, it's my guess that she's in trouble when we get to school." Izzy continues.
Ginny laughs and Hermione shakes her head. I look down at the floor. We chat until we hear the front door open and close once more. We hear Mrs. Weasley crying. She'd gone to convince Percy to come home. They'd had a fight and Percy was no longer on speaking terms with his family.
We ate dinner that night in silence. We went upstairs without a word. The next day we got word from Dumbledore that Ron and Hermione were to be made prefects. Hermione was happy and Ron was not.
…The Train…
We carry our things to the entry way. Harry was escorted to King's Cross separately. I hugged my parents good-bye and went to board the train. "Aww, what a touching scene. You didn't even come to look for me first." Blaise pouts as I climb aboard the train. I sigh dramatically and give him a hug. "I know as well as you do that you can do better than that.", he murmurs in my ear, "Oh look your mum's staring at us!" I turn to look out the window and sure enough there she was smirking. I go to the window and open it. "Did I forget something?" I ask innocently. She pats my head "Do behave yourself." She walks back over to my dad who was shaking his head laughing.
I close the window and turned around. Blaise was also looking worried. I turned back to see what he was looking at. His mother had been behind mine watching with a smile. He grabs my hand and takes off down the corridor.
"That was a close one." he mutters as the train departs the station. I peer at him. "Mum wants to meet you." he whispers. I start to speak but he holds up a finger. We go into an empty compartment. "She knows?" I ask once he's closed the door. "Well yeah. After the ball, I kind of sent her an owl about how mad I was when I saw you dancing with others and then she saw me talking to you at Flourish and Blotts." he explains nervously.
I sit back on the seat. "My friends keep making bets on our…", I tilt my head in thought, "acquaintanceship." He gives me a mischievous look. "They read the last note didn't they." he guesses. I looks out the window suddenly fascinated by the scenery. "Mum saw it too. Even the picture of Grandma Black seems to know." I mumble. He slides next to me. "Wow, if I'd know I totally would've bet you on that instead." he snickers. I turns to look at him. His face is extremely close to mine. "Now that I have your attention. Why do you insist on calling this thing of ours an acquaintanceship, and not its proper name?" he questions.
His demeanor had turned serious and his eyes investigated mine with a seriousness that left me speechless. I turn away. I truly didn't know. "I didn't know what to label us." I mutter a blush rising on my face. "Poor thing. Miss Black can't think properly with me this close.", he jokes, "I'll accept whatever label you give us for now. Until you push me too far that is." I look at him in shock.
I lean my head back onto the seat closing my eyes. "I could tell that your mum already knows how I feel about you." he mumbles after a bit. I give a sad sigh. "I know. I kept getting pulled to the side by my aunts this summer." I speak softly. "What'd they say?" he sounds very amused. "Don't act like your mum did before she finally admitted her feelings for your dad." I mimick the way they waved their fingers at me. He tries and fails to hold back a laugh.
I lean my head on his shoulder. He plays with my fingers. I don't know when it happened, but I fall asleep. When I wake Blaise is staring at me. "We're at Hogwarts." he whispers. I jump up. "I'll see you later then." I wave ducking out of the compartment. I join Izzy, Ava, and Lucas in a carriage. Izzy starts snickering. "What?" I ask looking around. She shrugs. "You smell exactly like that Blaise fellow we passed by last year doesn't she Ava?" Lucas asks her slyly. Ava nods and peers over my shoulder. "Mum said she saw you with someone on the train. Guess we know who now." she pokes me.
…The Letter…
We enjoy the feast and were headed up the stairs to bed when I feel a tap on my shoulder. "Hello Mrs. Wrackspurts!" Luna greets me cheerfully. I redden slightly but still gave her a hug. We talk a bit and then headed off to our dorms. In the Gryffindor common room there was a bit of a fight between Harry and Seamus. Ron and Hermione came in with the first years and broke it up. I head up to the girl's dorm anxious to go to sleep. I dive under my covers and fall asleep.
I was still half asleep at breakfast the next morning. I didn't even bother to take the braid down that I'd put my hair in the night before. Izzy and Ginny were discussing their schedules excitedly when Luna sat down. "Hello Mrs. Wrackspurts." she says calmly reaching for a croissant. I choke on my juice. I continue eating my cereal while she stares at me. "Did I win the first bet?" she asks Izzy. Izzy's hand dives into her bag and pulls out a small bag of galleons. "Your winnings miss." she presents them to Luna like they were the crown jewels.
I reach for a bagel and rise with my bags. "Where are you off to? You don't have any classes right now." Ginny looks at me suspicious in her eyes. I reach into my bag and pulled out a brand-new sketchbook. Ginny nods in understanding.
I go out into the courtyard with my sketchbook and bagel. I finish my bagel and was halfway through a drawing of a dragon when I hear footsteps behind me.
It was Ava and Lucas. Blue was on Lucas' shoulder. "You have a letter." he says holding it out to me. I take it and read it. I quickly put it away. I thank them and they set off back into the castle. A familiar looking owl swept down and gave me a letter. "I don't have any treats for you today, but you'll find some in there with your owner." I tell the owl pointing into the Great Hall. The owl soars into the hall. Classes were starting soon so I cleaned up my things and headed inside. I was just starting up the marble steps when I saw Ginny and Izzy. "What the letter say?" Ginny asks immediately.
I walk up to where they were before speaking. I didn't want any eavesdroppers. "It was mum and Mrs. Zabini." I shake my head at them to stop them from responding as we went up the steps. "Apparently, Blaise was so upset after the Ball last year he wrote to his mum and told her all about how irritating I was to him and now she wants to know more." I finish waving Mrs. Zabini's letter around.
"He wrote his mum about his jealousy?" they whisper in shock. "Yep, his mum said I'm the first girl he's ever shown such interest into the point where he's acting different.", I whisper back, "How am I supposed to respond? She saw me and Blaise yesterday on the train when I hugged him. She knows just as much about me as my mum knows about Blaise." Izzy was astonished. We made it to Charms and sat in an empty corner.
"Wait a minute! Back up! There's no way you just hugged him. The way you smelled when you came off the train was too strong for just a hug." Ginny protests. I couldn't respond and she couldn't protest further because class was starting, and boy was I happy for that distraction, so I didn't have to answer that question.
At lunch I ate quickly and quietly. I headed onto the grounds to walk a bit before my next class. I pulled my braid into a bun. I had to write myself a reminder to cut my hair it was almost knee length.
At dinner that night I could no longer avoid the questions that had been brewing inside of my friends all day. "You know I never quite pegged you as the type to go this far to avoid things." Ginny states as she twirled pasta onto her fork. Izzy snickers, and Ginny and Luna looked at her. "When we were younger, and she acted like dad it was bad. They thought it'd be fun to teach her how to ride dad's motorbike. Mum was livid. She was threatening to give it away and mum threatened to lock up all of Char's most valued possessions." she sighs reminiscently. Ginny was struck with awe while Luna just sighed dreamily imagining the scene.
"Why don't you just ask him about how to respond to his mum?" Hermione asks joining us. "If I was horror struck when my parents found out then his reaction to his mum seeing us hug was the same if not a higher level of horror." I explain scooping salad and pasta onto my plate. "Besides, I think I should handle it myself. If I can face mum's wrath I can respond to a letter from his mum.", I state confidently. "You know I'd believe you if your voice wasn't shaking so much Mrs. Wrackspurts." Luna giggles.
