𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 | 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿

Memory Misplaced & Bitter Aftertaste

Not long after, Charlie and Hermione had trooped out of Hagrid's Hut and forged on toward Gryffindor Tower. They arrived, coincidentally, just in time to see Harry, Ron, and Ginny crowded around the Fat Lady Portrait, having returned to the castle at last.

"Oi! Oi!"

They hurried towards them, very pink-faced from the coldness and wearing their own individual cloaks, hats, and gloves. Once the pair reached their friends, various forms of greetings were exchanged, although Charlie had purposefully made to ignore Ron, having not forgotten about their fight.

"Did you guys just get back? Charlie and I have just been down to visit Hagrid and Buck— I mean Witherwings," Hermione explained breathlessly. "Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Yeah," said Ron at once, "pretty eventful, Rufus Scrim—"

"My grandfather should be back tonight, Harry, and I think we should go see him as soon as possible," Charlie told his best friend, not bothering to look at Ron nor give any sign that he had heard him. "Oh, hang on — password. Abstinence."

"Precisely," said the Fat Lady in a feeble voice, and she swung forward to reveal the portrait hole.

Harry kinked his eyebrow, "What's up with her?"

"Overindulged over the holiday," Hermione explained, rolling her eyes as she led the way into the packed common room. "She and her friend Violet drank their way through all the wine in that picture of drunk monks down by the Charms corridor."

"Right," Harry sniggered lightly, cocking his head to look at Charlie. "Good to hear that your granddad is back, I've got loads to tell him — and the two of you. Let's sit down —"

But at that moment there was a loud squeal and Lavender Brown came hurtling out of nowhere, heading directly towards Charlie. Several onlookers wore puzzled expressions; Hermione gave a tinkling laugh and said, "Oh, Merlin, here we go."

"Hi Charlie! Have a good holiday?"

"Yes," Charlie spoke flatly, looking to his friends for help. "I spent it with Hermione," he added, hoping for that to be, more or less, a valid way to get her to back off.

Apparently, Charlie's method seemed to work, however, for all Lavender responded with was a simple, "Oh... did you?"

"He did," Hermione chimed in with confirmation, her lips threatening to curl upwards. With a glare from Lavender, she shrugged, "And I think we enjoyed ourselves a fair bit, didn't we, Charlie?"

Charlie looked down bashfully, feeling heat rise in his cheeks. Stuffing his hands into his pockets awkwardly, he muttered, "Right, yeah."

"Well, that's nice, I suppose," Lavender grumbled finally after a pregnant pause. Blushing with embarrassment, she added, "You know, I should probably go and find Parvati..."

And with that, she maneuvered her way through the packed common room before Charlie had even realized she had gone.

"I'd best be off too," said Ron, who had become uncharacteristically quiet since Hermione's comment. "I think I'll go and unpack my trunk."

"Oh, well, okay then," Hermione spoke timidly, acknowledging the jealous undertone in Ron's voice and deciding that it was best let him go. "There's a table over there... coming, Ginny?"

"No, thanks, I said I'd meet Dean," said Ginny, though Charlie could not help noticing that she did not sound very enthusiastic. Leaving the two Weasley siblings behind, Harry led Charlie and Hermione over to the spare table.