Chapter 5

Alexis's POV

Two days later, Molly had cornered me in the kitchen in an attempt to get rid of the scars. After half an hour of arguing, she reluctantly gave in. Fred was still refusing to speak to me after the love potion incident so I spent my time with Ginny and Hermione or with George, working on products.

"I wish Fred would talk to me."

"Fred will come around. At least he hasn't been a git and told Charlie," George said.

"True but I just wish that he would talk to me."

"He'll come around eventually. Are you going to tell him?"

"No."

"Lex you've got to tell him."

"I'm not doing it." I glanced at my watch, "I have to go, I'll see you later." I said before apparating to Diagon Alley.

I arrived outside the tattoo shop five minutes before I was due. I walked inside and handed them the image that I wanted tattooed onto the left side of my neck, a baby horntail with eyes that were the same blue as Charlie's. After a relatively painless twenty minutes I apparated back to the Burrow to show George, Ginny and Hermione.

Later that Year.

Charlie had started talking to me the day before we went back to school, mostly apologising about the teasing and looks that I would get due to my scars. Fred on the other hand, did not talk to me until the second week back.

So far the school year had gone well, with the announcement of the Triwizard tournament adding some interesting tasks for the contestants to complete later in the year. Harry and Cedric were chosen for Hogwarts and there were two other schools competing and several of their students also staying at Hogwarts, making the place even more crowded. Then McGonagall surprised us all and announced that there would be a ball held this year due to the tournament. The girls all got excited as the boys groaned. I sighed, now I would have to find someone to go with.

A few days after the announcement, Ginny and Hermione excitedly told me that they were going with Neville Longbottom and Victor Krum. I was truly excited for them but it made my predicament even worse, now I couldn't just hang out with the girls all night. Fred was going with Angelina, George with Katie and Lee with Alicia, so of all of my friends I would be alone. I spent the remainder of the day wandering around the grounds on my own trying to come up with a list of possible partners. Ginny and Hermione found me as I was headed back to the Common room and dragged me back outside.

"We've found you the perfect partner." Ginny said.

"I don't need a partner. I'll be fine."

"Don't lie; we've seen you moping around at the thought of going alone to this dance." Hermione said as they dragged me towards the forest.

They dragged me deeper into the forest, ignoring my protests and stopped when I saw a familiar figure ahead.

"No way. Not happening. He shouldn't even be here."

"I'll do it then," Ginny said smugly. "Hey Charlie!" She yelled.

Hermione pushed me in the back and made me follow Ginny towards her brother.

"Alexis was just wondering," Hermione started.

"If you would go to the dance with her?" Ginny finished.

"You don't have to. I mean you probably don't even want to go and you shouldn't even be here you finished years ago and even if you did want to go there's probably someone you want to go with," I said quickly, trying to hide my nervousness and failing miserably.

"Of course I'll go with you Lex. Ginny would murder me if I let one of her friends go alone."

"Told you we would find you someone," Ginny said. "Thanks Charlie. We'd better get going. See you later."

We all said goodbye and Hermione, Ginny and I headed back towards the castle.

"Lex can I talk to you for a second?" Charlie asked, coming after us.

"We'll meet you in the common room," Hermione said as they kept walking.

I turned and headed back to Charlie, "Are you going to tell me you really don't want to go now?" I asked.

"No of course not. I just wanted to talk to you. I miss you sometimes," He said as he pulled me into a hug.

"I miss you too. What are you doing here though? Shouldn't you be in Romania working?"

"I am working, we had to bring some things over for the tournament and I volunteered to come so I'd have a chance to see everyone."

"You brought dragons to Hogwarts?"

"Yep, Four of them, for the tournament."

"Can I see?"

"I don't think that's the best idea Lex. These are a lot bigger than the babies."

"Please Charlie, I'll be careful. I don't want to touch them, just see them. Please?" I begged.

"But…"

"Charlie just for a minute?"

He sighed, "Alright, fine."

He led me deeper into the forest until we came to a line of tents.

"Stay behind me." It was an order, not a request.

He walked a little further until I could see a large pen with a sleeping dragon in it.

"That's a..." Charlie began.

"Welsh Green." I finished.

He smiled at me, "Yes, it is." Charlie continued to lead me around the pens and I saw a Chinese Fireball, a Swedish Short-snout and a Horntail.

"Why are they all nesting? Wont that make them more dangerous?"

"Yeah it will. I don't know what they want them for but whatever it is it's going to be hard."

"Charlie, can I touch them?"

"Alexis you said you only wanted to look."

"I did but now I want to touch."

"Alexis you are not touching the dragons."

"But they're all knocked out, they can't hurt me," I reasoned.

"That's beside the point. You are not touching them."

"Please Charlie…" I begged.

"No Lex, if they wake up they could kill you."

"They won't wake up. I trust you. You said they're knocked out so they're knocked out. Let's do it."

"Alexis Laura Fuller, you are not touching them. You are going straight back up to Gryffindor Tower right now."

"Alright," I sighed heading out of the forest. "You don't have to come, I know the way back."

"I want to. You never know what trouble you could get into."

As Charlie predicted, I did get into trouble on the way back to the common room. We ran into Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson.

"Oh look Draco; she didn't have any luck with the Weasels that were already here she had to get one flown in," Pansy said loudly. "I feel so sorry for people like her, too poor and ugly for the poorest and ugliest out there. How could someone live like that?"

"It's not surprising though Pansy, I mean, look at her face, of course no one wants to be seen with someone who looks like they've been mauled by a tiger," Draco replied.

"Well at least I'm not diseased like Pansy. How many STD's are you up to now? Lost count? And honestly Draco, I'm surprised you can get any girl to go near you, generally girls don't like a boy who spends more time in front of the mirror than them and who would use all their makeup," I replied coolly.

"Come on Alexis. Let's go."

Draco and Pansy pulled their wands at my retort and Charlie sighed as I drew my own, shielding both of us against the spells they cast.

"Don't ruin my fight Charlie," I said under my breath as I shot body bind curses at the two Slytherins. I hit Pansy who was too stupid to shield herself; Malfoy on the other hand was a bit brighter. After successfully protecting himself, Malfoy stunned Charlie who had his wand drawn.

"Well well, what are you going to do now Fuller? Lover boy can't help you n…" Malfoy began.

I used the opportunity to transfigure him and Pansy.

"Idiot, you only distracted yourself then," I muttered to the ferret before reviving Charlie.

Someone cleared their throat behind me and I spun around to find Professor McGonagall staring at me.

"Miss Fuller what on earth have you done here?" She exclaimed, turning the ferret and slug back into Slytherins.

"I was provoked professor, sorry. Won't happen again."

"Draco, Pansy, you will have detention with me tonight at 9 o'clock. Miss Fuller and Mr Weasley, you will accompany me to my office immediately."

We left the Slytherins standing in the corridor and followed the professor to her office.

"Mr Wesley, what are you doing at Hogwarts?"

"I've come to deliver some dragons for the tournament Professor. I'm assuming you know about that."

"Oh yes of course, should have known you would have used the opportunity to visit." She turned to me "Miss Fuller, I really should put you in detention but that was such an extraordinary piece of transfiguration for a student I think I will only deduct 50 points from you and 100 each from Mr Malfoy and Miss Parkinson. Please do not go transfiguring students, it can get rather messy. And I trust you won't tell anyone about your lack of detention"

"Alrighty, thanks McG. I won't tell anyone." I said with a grin.

"Mr Weasley, could you please escort Miss Fuller to the common room and this time ensure she does not getting into altercations with the other students. You both should know better than that."

Charlie nodded and we both stood to leave. I hadn't even stepped outside when McGonagall called me back inside.

"Yes Professor?"

"You two look good together. I hope it lasts."

"There's nothing going on."

"There seems to be from where I'm standing."

I laughed, "I wish McG."

Charlie successfully escorted me all the way to the Gryffindor common room this time without any run ins with the Slytherin's. We stopped outside the portrait hole and he looked down at me.

"So I'll see you soon?" he asked.

"Yeah the dance is in like two days so I guess I'll see you then."

"Alright I'll meet you here. If you don't have anything better to do come and visit me. Just ask someone to find me, I still won't let you touch the dragons though so don't ask."

I grinned, "Alright. See you."

He hugged me before I slipped in through the portrait hole into the common room where Ginny and Hermione were waiting with Alicia, Ang and Katie.