Unforgettable

Chapter Seven

The next few weeks go smoothly. I am still set on getting James and Sirius back for their disaster prank. That has just been pushed to the bottom of my priority list. I have been preoccupied with school work and quidditch practice recently.

I think one of my favorite parts of quidditch is getting to see Ben Daniels. He is the other chaser along with James and I. He is a seventh year so definitely a bit older, but he is good-looking and sweet. I would be lying if I said I didn't have a bit of a thing for him.

Lily was the first to realize, and she spoke with the other girls. Since then, I haven't been able to escape their teasing. Dorcas has to be one of the worst. After practice the other day, she practically shoved me over into him. Thankfully, I didn't fall over, but I did stumble.

I lay across my bed in the dorm as I hold some pictures I took with my camera up to the light. I look over as lily sits down on my bed beside me and lays back. She looks at the pictures. "You're good at that. Taking pictures and stuff." I smile softly and thank her.

"So what's the deal with you and Ben? I really was rooting for you and Remus." She asks. I can't help but blush when she asks this. I don't really know how to answer her.

"I don't really know. I don't know Ben very well, but he is something. It's definitely a bit of a crush. Then there is Remus, and I don't really know. I think he is great and all, but I just don't see us going anywhere." I admit.

I'm not sure how I feel about Remus. It's certainly not just friends, but it's not what I feel for Ben either. It's the type of feeling that I like to avoid thinking about too much. Mostly because of fear.

"What does James think?" Lily asks, pulling me from my thoughts. "I haven't said anything to him about it. It's just a little crush." I insist.

"You have told us, but not James? I think that is a first for you, Charlie."

I laugh a little to myself. That is undoubtedly a first. "It most definitely is. It's honestly a good thing, though. For one, I need friends apart from him, second, he would lose his mind."

Lily and I lay there and talk for some time. It's actually really nice. I like having a girl friend I can talk to about boys and other girl things. It makes me feel so much less alone. Eventually, she goes off to study, so I get ready and head down to practice early. When I get down there it's only Jason, Ben, and I. Jason goes off to make game plans or something, and it is just Ben and I.

It's like a fever dream, almost. The weather is dreary and wet, but it's not raining. It's not hot, but not cool or warm either. The fog is thick, and I can feel the condensation in the air.

He and I toss the quaffle back and forth for a little while before sitting on the damp ground to wait for the rest of the team to show.

"I'm surprised you're here already. Normally, you get here when your brother does." Ben says, breaking the silence between us.

I shrug and dig the toe of my shoe into the soft grass. "I didn't have anything better to do, so I came down here. I figure I can use all the practice I can get since our first game is this week." I explain softly. My heart is beating faster than normal, and I can feel my palms starting to sweat.

He chuckles softly, causing my face to hear slightly. Is he laughing at me? "I remember my first game. I was so nervous. You seem to be handling it much better than I am."

I smile and turn to him, "No way, you nervous?" I say, voicing my surprise.

He shrugs, "I was young, everything was scary then." He looks me in the eye and smiles. My face turns a deeper red, and I am just hoping he doesn't notice. "If we win this week, I'm sure there will be a huge party. You should go with me." He says while nudging my side.

"Really?" I physically cringe when my voice cracks. He doesn't seem to notice, though. "Yeah of course. It will be a great time."

I can see James walking over now with Dorcas, who is giving me a double thumbs up. I can't read James's expression, which is odd because I always can.

"Well, I hope we win then. I'm looking forward to this party now." I say before getting up and jogging over to my brother.

James seems off the entire practice and at dinner. I try to ignore it, but the look on his face at practice continued to claw its way to the front of my brain all the way until I went to bed. I didn't put together that the look on his face was extreme unease. The type of look you get when you are nervous and anxious but can't put your finger on why. I don't see that look on him often because typically, I am the one wearing it.

I just wish that one of us would have discovered the reason for his discomfort. If we had, I would have done everything I could to lose that game and never go to that damn party.