chapter viii a scandinavian desire
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TO PUT IT STRAIGHT, DOMINIQUE HAWTHORNE WAS a vivacious hearth of charm. Much like Juliet — who was much more of a vixen — Dominique was easily one of the most alluring and captivating personas to walk the halls of Hogwarts. Not only was she physically enticing, with her sleek ginger ringlets, effortlessly in ensemble arrangements and completely void of getting tangled within each other ( seriously — its an absolute mystery as to how Dominique is able to keep her curls from tangling within themselves! ) and with lips infallibly red, the suaveness that glimmers within her every time she walks, smiles or laughs. But also, she had a captivating personality, and history, and ambitions that should never go unseen.
But alas, in many cases, they do. Half of the guys that approach her are only interested in dating, snogging, or sex, when it comes to Dominique (reiterating Juliet's words — men are horny little batshits!), and she was sick of it. Reason being, she was so much more interesting than the number of her lipstick colour or the brand of bag she owned — she wanted so much more than just somatic attraction. She wanted people to see her on the inside, too! Dominique wanted to become a magical historian, to be able to travel the world, meet new people and hopefully settle down.
(She has this part sorted out, though: on an eventual trip into Sweden to Malmö for one of her future adventures, she'll meet a Swede, fall in love, and settle down and have five children. Two boys, three girls, one of whom would be named after her late grandmother Genevieve. Can you blame her for wanting her children in on the Scandinavian genes, though? Those bone structures! Her children were bound to carry good genetics, no matter what.)
But guys don't really seem to understand that. They only see what's unfurled in front of their eyes. They don't see the explorer, or the learner, or the one who's yearning for true love that isn't superficial or dawns solely at the expanse of her appearance. She wanted more.
(One could also admit that when describing Dominique, that they'd make good mention of her smart mouth. Because, again, quoting Juliet, men are batshits who also often don't take no for an answer.)
When it comes to Dominique, there's nothing more important to her than the welfare of her friends and family. She always considers herself lucky in comparison to her best friend Avery in the sense that she grew up with a complete family — her parents were together, she was the youngest of three siblings... she knew she was fortunate, and she would do nothing more than to keep things together like it should be. As for her friends, though they exhilarate her at times (okay, all the time), she treasures them the most and wouldn't ask for anyone else to spend her time with. She spends so much time with them, they've become her second family in this whirlwind of a school she's been nurtured in.
Just like now. Dominique was seated amidst the towering shelves of books, some periodically untouched and left to gather an abundance of dust, others more freshly utilised. With a bottle of water in front of her, long-forgotten Arithmancy essay accompanying it and wide open hardback books scattered around, she finds herself reminiscing in anything but the essay due in a couple of days, with the redhead's absent sighs wailing from her mouth, her chin propped up on her hand in an idealistic reverie. Dominique, by any means, regrets picking Arithmancy for NEWTs—but she'll need it if she wants to become a historian. It doesn't help that Professor Vector wasn't helping her at all—Dominique was left to face her Arithmancy woes (and a raging battle at trying to get a higher grade) all to herself.
At least she had Avery beside her, though. Even if she was engrossed in the work she was doing, presumably the arrangements for the Halloween Ball she was so fervently organising (Bless Avery, Dominique thinks. She's proud of her best friend and how much she's grown lately, even if Avery doesn't like to admit it herself), oblivious to Dominique's swelling boredom, Avery's quill scratching rapidly across the parchment in swift strokes as she unheedingly bit down on her lip, her strawberry blonde hair in a braid that flopped over her shoulder.
But Dominique also seems to notice that Avery, though she continuously progressed with her duties, seemed to be having an... eye problem? As in, she would quit every couple of second to rub at her eye, and was squinting down at her page too.
"Aves?" Dominique asks.
"Hmm?" Avery replies distractingly, still continuing to scrawl at the page.
"Are you... okay?"
Avery looks up. (She was definitely squinting, Dominique can confirm.)
"Yeah?" says Avery. "Why?"
"You're squinting. And you keep rubbing your eye." Dominique points out.
"No, I'm not?"
Dominique narrows her eyes. "Yes, you are! You're squinting."
"I'm not squinting! See?" Avery makes an attempt at opening her eye fully, only to wince shortly. (Smooth, Avery, smooth.)
Dominique sighs. "I know what squinting looks like, Aves. You're squinting."
"I'm not!"
Dominique narrows her eyes at Avery.
"Fine." Avery admits, a defeated sigh escaping her. "I'm squinting."
"Why, though?"
Avery grimaces. "I sprayed deodorant into my eyes this morning... they haven't been cleared ever since. It's annoying."
"Have you tried washing your eyes?" Dominique says plainly. Avery laughs discordantly, attracting the attention of a disapproving Madam Pince, hushing then with the sharp movement of her finger to her lips.
Avery's cheeks redden, sinking back into her seat. She takes a glance up to Madam Pince, sat behind her desk a short distance away from the two-person desk Dominique and Avery were seated at.
"Sorry," Avery apologises, Madam Pince glares at her shortly before looking back down to her work. Avery has to suppress another rowdy laugh, before raising an eyebrow at Dominique. "Yes," She answers in lieu to Dominique's previous question, "I have washed my eyes out. It's still... sore. And difficult to open. I'll just wait it out, though."
"You should probably leave the work while you, you know, can't see?" Dominique suggests, looking at Avery incredulously as she began to resume enthusiastically scribbling notes.
"This is why I didn't tell you," says Avery. "You would've told me to quit working."
"And I have good reason to!" Dominique asserts. She has to sigh to herself at times at just how overproductive Avery could get sometimes. Whenever she's dedicated to a task, she wouldn't give up until she's satisfied — which is more validating than the approval of any other teacher or friend. And sure, this determination is something to be proud of but heavens, in times like these when Avery should physically take a break, it could get exhausting trying to convince someone as headstrong as Avery. "You should take a break, at least."
"I'm telling you, I'm good." Avery persists with a sigh, progressing with her quill. "These arrangements aren't gonna.. arrange? themselves." But nonetheless, she drops the quill back into the inkpot, it sounding out with a characteristic tick! as it clashed with its companion. Avery looks at Dominique with a wide smile. "But, you'll be pestering me nonstop, anyways. So, there. You happy?"
"Very," Dominique beams. "You work yourself too hard."
Avery grins, stretching her arms out behind her head. "It's like I said," She says, "These arrangements won't get themselves done. I like it, though. I'm... getting somewhere good with them. And being Head Girl, I suppose."
"So we were all correct, then?" Dominique questions ecstatically, "Being Head Girl was a good thing and you were being irrational and we were more clever than you and—"
"Yes, you were right!" Avery laughs incredulously. "You were right. I was... irrational. I'm sorry."
"You learned your mistake." Dominique states smugly, to which Avery smacks the redhead's arm. "No, honestly. I'm glad it's working out." She takes a cautious glance at her friend, who decided to drop her head against the intricately manufactured wood of the desk, resting her eyes. "And about... you and Charlie?"
Avery's eyes widen immediately (she also winces — who would've thought deodorant could do that much harm), and her posture stiffens. Dominique furrows her eyebrows at this reaction — she, of course, had no idea about that fortuitous moment Avery and Charlie had shared (which Avery still seems to find herself distractedly thinking about from time to time—she just couldn't get the picture of his beautiful eyes out of her head). Dominique just thought was still uncomfortable around her fellow Head. Which didn't really add up, because Dominique saw both Avery and Charlie together — it was different to how it usually was — Avery seemed to smile more around him, seemed to encourage the conversation between them, and they really did seem to be friends now. So, for Avery to have this reaction, it didn't really match the notes Dominique knew of.
"What?" Dominique immediately adds, "Are you still not... on good terms with him yet?"
"No!" Avery says, rubbing her lips together. "Me and Charlie get along now. We're friends. We're good now. Well, I'm good with him now."
Dominique finds herself relaxing in her posture slightly. This was good news to her. She knew of how Avery had a hard time trusting new people, and she wanted her to be able to be more comfort with others and to be able to make new friendships better. So it was good that she was good with Charlie — that they were friends. Dominique really believed that Charlie could be good for Avery. But the fact that Avery and Charlie were on good terms... didn't really explain Avery's initial reaction?
"Why did you get startled, then?" asks Dominique.
"I didn't?"
"Yes, you did." Dominique scoffs. "Did something happen between you and Charlie?"
"Nope." Avery says.
Dominique raises her eyebrows, not believing Avery's poor attempt at a lie.
"Well, yes." Avery answers truthfully. Dominique didn't know about the whole issue with Charlie saving Avery from that blasted ladder, and Avery would prefer it that way. Avery didn't even know the reason why she couldn't get the image of his cerulean eyes out of her head — it was as if they were literally entrained into her mind, as if any thought to do with Charlie would associate with that image. But Dominique didn't need to know that. Avery only smiles. "But it's nothing. I swear. On Rowena's grave."
(Rowena, please forgive Avery.)
Dominique lets a sigh drop from her mouth. "Okay." She says, "Well, I've been thinking."
"Go on," says Avery.
"You've been working yourself too hard," says Dominique, "With all of this Halloween Ball shenanigans, and the Head Girl stuff and schoolwork. And honestly, I'm so glad you've seen the good side to being Head Girl, but... you need to get laid, Aves!"
Avery shakes her head, her eyes narrowing further back into her head. "Why would I get laid now, of all times?"
"Because you need to get back into the game!" says Dominique, enthusiastically. "We'll obviously have to find the right guy. Or girl, if it's what you prefer. They have to be good looking, and smart, and have a good personality, and easy to talk to, and interesting, and — oh my gosh!"
Avery pays a curious glance over to her redhead best friend, her eyebrows raising. "Dom, what is it?"
A crafty grin crawling across her features, Dominique takes a firm hold of Avery's forearm with both hands.
"You should get laid with Charlie!"
The look that falls upon Avery's dainty features is one of sheer bewilderment: her mouth gapes open, her eyes widening, and for a few minutes, she was speechless.
"I — Dom — what?" Avery eventually splutters.
"Think about it! It makes perfect sense,"
Dominique reasons, and Avery's grimace in response to Dominiqes encouraging grin was an indicator that the redhead had to elaborate. "Think about it — you're both Head Boy and Head Girl, you both like taking care of animals, you get on, you're both smart, adventurous, and he is fit. Like, really fit. You guys live together! He's single! And have you seen him in his quidditch uniform? Those biceps—"
"Okay, Dom," Avery cuts in. She laughs. "That's... informative. Do you like, fancy the guy or something? It bloody well seems like it."
(Avery knew exactly what Dominique was talking about, though. She still remembers the first morning in the Head's dorm when he appeared shirtless and Avery witnessed the crafty work that was his abdominal muscles. Charlie's gorgeous. And thinking about it now, she felt odd. Like, that moment between her and Charlie seemed to change something in her mind regarding Charlie. But she didn't know what? Either way, Avery didn't really want to think about it for fear she'd get herself into something she'd highly regret. The whole thing is weird. Really weird. But they both prefer not to talk about it.)
"I don't," Dominique informs adeptly, "But you should! You can't blame me, though. A fit guy is a fit guy. And honestly if you saw his biceps then fu—"
"Okay, Dom." says Avery. "You find him fit. I get it. But what is it with you and everyone wanting me to, like... get with him?"
"Everyone?"
"Well, not everyone," Avery admits, " But Juliet thinks I should ask him to the Halloween Ball."
"Oh my god, you should!" Dominique squeals, bounding in her seat slightly, attracting a few stares their way. She whispers, "You should definitely ask him to the Ball."
"But," Avery persists, "I was planning on going alone. Since there's so much to do, you know? I'll be busy the entire night. It's best I don't disappoint anyone as my date by abandoning them most of the night."
"Yeah, but Charlie's different! He's the Head Boy, he'll also be busy, but you guys can use it as a chance to... well, get to know each other better! Whose to say it shouldn't be completely platonic?"
"Erm — you?" Avery points out incredulously. "You're the one telling me to get laid with him?"
"Okay, touché." Dominique admits with a sly grin. "Still. You guys should go together! It would be fun."
"Hmm. Maybe." Avery mutters, taking a distracted glance over her parchment.
Dominique sighs. "Okay. We'll stop talking about you and Charlie. You know who we should talk about, though?"
Avery doesn't hesitate to meet Dominique's stare, narrowing her eyes in confusion. "Who?"
"Juliet." Dominique smirks.
"What about Juliet?"
"Her secret lover."
Avery stiffens. She, of course, knows about Juliet's clandestine affair with Nymphadora Tonks, bound by secrecy, the sole reason being due to Charlie and his snooping — okay, he doesn't snoop, but he seems to pop up in strange circumstances at times — stumbling upon them both.
Dominique caught on quickly. "What?" She implores, "What is it?"
"... It's nothing." Avery lies. She forces herself to relax her posture again as she looks back to her parchment.
Dominique folds her arms. "You're a horrible liar, Aves." The redhead tells her. "You know something. Spill."
"I... can't." Avery says cautiously, sheepishly meeting Dominique's interrogative gaze.
"What do you mean, you can't?" Dominique frowns. "Unless —" She gasps, revelation consuming her entire person with a energised jump. "You know who it is!"
"Perhaps..."
"Tell me!" Dominique whispers harshly, tugging at Avery's arm.
"I told you, I can't!"
"Fine." Dominique huffs. She slouches down in her posture, conveying a look of defeat. "At least — just tell me how you found out."
Avery gives Dominique a sideways glance, pressing her lips together sceptically. "Perhaps a little birdie told me."
With her curiosity still not yet satisfied, Dominique raises her eyebrows. "And how did this little birdie find out?"
"Really? I've told you enough!" Avery narrows her eyes. Dominique narrows her eyes further. She sighs. "Fine. The little birdie was... walking around when he stumbled upon Juliet and her Hufflepuff lady friend. Happy?"
Dominique doesn't answer but rather, furrows her eyebrows.
"A he, did you say? Your birdie is a he?"
Avery's mouth drops open. Shit.
"I — uh. I didn't mean to say that."
"Well, you did." Dominique remarks with a smirk. "This makes me think. What birdie that's a guy would be close enough to you and come to tell you about something like this?"
Avery shrugs.
"I don't buy that," Dominique presses. "Let me just get a few things straight." She purses her lips, in deep thought. "The only guys that you seem to be close to — the potential birdies — would be Eric, Ben or Julian. Julian — he's too obsessed with his looks to pay attention to Juliet's love life. It could be Eric—"
"Since when did this become you searching out potential candidates of birdies—"
"Since you're not telling me yourself."
Dominique smiles. "It could be Eric, but he's so hell-bent on getting Rowan to love him. Merlin, they need to get together by the end of the year. Ben, however," Dominique says, intrigued, "It very well could be him. He's smart and he's observant, so he's a good candidate. The only thing is that he's be consumed with guilt far too easily so he wouldn't he able to keep it a secret for that long."
"Guess you're out of potentials, then." Avery quips, slightly relieved.
"No?" She laughs ridiculously, "It won't be anyone that we both personally know. But," She connects eyes with Avery, giving her a perceptive glance. "There is someone else. Someone you're apparently close to."
Avery narrows her eyes. "Who?"
Dominique pauses warily. And then:
"Charlie Weasley."
Dominique Hawthorne truly is a wonder. That's what Avery thinks.
Avery looks away.
"It is him!" Dominique gasps.
Avery can't help but shrug. She didn't know just how good of a detective her best friend was. Talent cannot be denied.
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!" Dominique exclaims once again. "So if the birdie is Charlie... and he came to you because Juliet's your friend... that means that maybe he knows the Hufflepuff, and — oh my god," Revelation crosses her features, her mouth dropping open. She looks back to Avery, her eyes wide, her mouth agape.
"Juliet is dating Nymphadora Tonks."
"Wow," Avery remarks, "You got all of that just because I let slip the birdie was a guy?" She inhales a wide-eyed breath, impressed by Dominique's skills. "I think you'd be better off becoming a Detective rather than a Historian."
Dominique looked pleased with herself, shrugging complacently as she beams accordantly. "Perhaps I would," She quips, "Wow. I can't believe Juliet and Tonks are dating!"
"You can't tell anyone, though!" Avery whispers. "I've been trying to get Juliet to invite Tonks to the Ball. I suppose that's when they'll come clean to everyone? I don't know, though. She still needs... persuasion."
"Okay, okay." Dominique says, "I won't tell anyone."
"Good." Avery smiles. "Speaking of dates for the Ball — not mine since I'm pledging to go solo — who will you go with?"
Dominique shrugs. "No idea. I might ask one of the boys, but we'll see."
"As if you'd have any trouble in finding a date, though!" Avery grins. "I mean, have you seen yourself! Boys will be lining up to go with you. You'd have no issue whatsoever."
Dominique chuckles. "Thanks, Aves. I'll figure it out, though. We still have the entire month ahead to find a date, so I'll get there in the end."
"Yeah," Avery says. "One thing we can't leave till last minute, though: dress shopping. We have to get there sooner rather than later, before Gladrags is mobbed with people trying to get dressed for the Ball. We'll bring Juliet, Hannah and Rowan too, obviously."
"You're right," Dominique ageees, throwing a lavish ginger ringlet behind her shoulder. "How's the Hogsmeade next Saturday?"
"Fine by me. Is Rowan not holding quidditch practice, though?" asks Avery. "She should get out either way. She's been really hard on the team right before Ravenclaw's first quidditch match. It'll be good for her to get a small break, not to mention, the team too."
"Definitely. We can ask them in Potions later on."
"Sounds good." Avery grins. "Speaking of Potions, the bell will ring soon. How about we get down there before Snape decides to make our lives a miserable living hell?"
Dominique laughs incredulously. "As if. He's still gonna make our lives miserable either way."
"You're not wrong."
Following their somewhat abundant conversation, resulting in Dominique leaving her dreaded Arithmancy essay untouched and Avery's list remaining incomplete. (Avery seemed to have lost the squinting of her eyes, it being replaced by a convulsive twitch in both. She was annoyed, to say the least. Deodorant sucks.) They packed up their supplies, their free period not being the most productive in the world and set off towards the bleak dungeons, honed by the even bleaker Severus Snape.
(There were always two tables designated to the Ravenclaw friends. They enjoyed their small two tables, one of the girls always having to swap to join the group of three boys for what was always sure to be a peculiar and amusing class.)
Potions (alongside Charms) was the only class that both Avery and Dominique share, let alone their entire friend group. But as Dominique was to become a Historian, completely different to that of Avery's Magizoologist, she referred to more logical subjects like History of Magic, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Both Dominique and Avery endured N.E.W.T level Potions with much difficulty, and it was even worse when it came down to the teacher they had for the subject.
(Avery and Dominique always like to make fun of Snape when they get the chance. Call it mean, but can you really blame them when Snape is an insensitive git? He's nearly thirty and still has no people manners. To say that he deserves it is an understatement in its entirety.)
———
"SOME POTIONS LESSON, RIGHT?"
After being put through a dreary, extensive and tedious Potions lesson, Avery was exhausted and was thankful that Potions was her last class. When Snape wasn't looking, Avery and Dominique had asked their friends if they were up for going dress shopping during the next Hogsmeade weekend. They all agreed, and Rowan, after deliberating over it rigorously, agreed, declaring that it should be fun. And that perhaps she should have a small break.
(Deep down, Rowan knew it was because she does work her team too hard and they deserved a break too. But Rowan's fierce, warrior princess side wouldn't let anyone else see that. She just hopes that the Ravenclaw versus Slytherin quidditch match wouldn't be too much of a trouble after one cancelled practice.)
And after asking the boys if they'd like to join them in the scavenge for dresses, the boys being clearly opposed and not wanting anything to do with a drill, bow, or a pair of high heels, the girls decided it would be a good time for a girls day out. They deserve it!
Encircled by a thick blanket of warmth, the amber flames flickering menacingly over the diminished heap of coal, Avery and Charlie now sat habitually in their usual spots on their common room sofa, mugs of consoling hot chocolate cupped in their hands and a charming assertiveness existing in their conversation. Their routine of spendings their evenings after long, exhausting days of classes seemed to be a comforting highlight for them both. Like, the kind of relief you feel if you're falling down and are cushioned by a large mattress. This new... habit of theirs was exactly that. A comforting way of winding down and getting to know each other.
And Avery doesn't mind it, anymore. She thinks she stopped minding Charlie and his presence a while ago — when he declared that he would do whatever it takes to help her grow more comfortable, more confident. And Charlie did exactly that. He didn't pressurise her for anything — he didn't pressurise a conversation, an answer, or anything. He's helping Avery become better in her own time. Not anyone else's. And Avery really appreciated that.
Part of Avery is still somewhat intrigued about whatever happened between her and Charlie on that ladder. Maybe not intrigued... but she can't seem to not think about it. It kept on haunting her... but in a good way. She feels like she can trust him, and that felt nice.
There's also something else... something so mystical, so alluring within those cerulean eyes. There was a new, unknown feeling, a sensation, a new perspective. Avery didn't know what, exactly, but she wasn't sure she minded it so much. It didn't seem like a bad thing, if anything.
"Yeah, right! Snape was being so unfair to you!" Avery retorts to Charlie.
He grins. "Nah, I'm used to it. The man's just a prat with greasy curtains for hair."
"He doesn't exactly seem to like anyone, if anything." Avery says with a light, sardonic scoff. "He's a dickhead to most people. You and your friend Roy the most, though."
"Roy deserves what's coming to him half the time, I won't lie," Charlie sniggers, "Snape just has a heartfelt hatred for any Gryffindor. Me especially," He grins haphazardly. "He's still bitter a Slytherin hadn't gotten a Head position."
"I've never met him... Roy." Avery says. "What's he like?"
Charlie smiles. It still felt weird, Avery asking him questions now. But it was a good weird. A comfortable one.
"Roy, well..." Charlie chuckles heavily, puffing out a large bout of air in his cheeks. "To most people, Roy is obnoxious and vulgar, and by all means, I am not denying it. That guy does not know when to shut up sometimes. He has, like, no filter whatsoever? If me or Tonks weren't there to clean up his messes he would've been permanently admitted to the Hospital Wing a long while ago."
"Wow," Avery says, "But what, then? There's a "but" coming, right?"
Charlie grins. "You're right. He might be this shameless guy who doesn't know his ways with women and has no awareness of sensitivities whatsoever, but he's a pretty damn good friend. There's never been a moment when he hasn't hesitated to help me, or Tonks out, and he's always been there for us no matter what. By all means, he has a warm heart... you just have to be with him long enough to be able to see it." He adds, "And lately, he's been calling himself my life coach."
"Your what?"
"My life coach." Charlie reiterates, laughing.
"Your life coach?" Avery says with an incredulous laugh. "What would you, The Great Charlie Weasley, Mr Perfect, need a life coach for?"
Charlie laughs again. "You."
Avery eyes widen. "Come again?"
"Well, back when you were being, I guess, I don't know how to phrase it but—"
"A bitch? Frosty?"
"Yeah, that." says Charlie, smiling sheepishly. "Back at the start when you were being frosty and we couldn't really... relate that well with each other, I asked Roy for help on how to connect better with you... his advice worked, I guess."
"Wow," Avery chuckles. "I guess we both have our friends to thank for... well, this. If it weren't for them I would have never thought about opening up to you."
Charlie smiles. "I'm glad you did."
Avery smiles. "So am I."
In the small silence that followed, Avery couldn't help but begin to reminisce in the words of Dominique's from earlier on in the library... not exactly the thought of her getting laid with Charlie... or that he was really fit, which Avery couldn't deny... she still remembers when he knocked on her door the first day of term shirtless, and knew that Dominique wasn't wrong when it came to claiming that fact. But Avery couldn't think about those facts, as annoyingly tempting and alluring as they may have seemed, because one fact remained, and one statement of her finger best friend remained in her head — that Charlie was single. And that perplexed her.
To Avery, it made no sense for Charlie to be single. As she'd named him so many times previous, he was Mr Perfect. He was handsome, clever, good at Quidditch, and had a fit body. Not to mention kind. It was natural to look at Charlie and think, "Oh shit, he's amazing". And it was the reason he had a swarm of girls following his every move, a swarm of admirers that he seemed to ignore and shake off, without thinking it a prospect in all manners. And that confuses Avery. Why should he be single, when he was admired by most within Hogwarts. To Avery, many things didn't make sense — this was one of them.
"Charlie?" Avery says.
"Yeah?" Charlie replies.
"You're a handsome guy," she says abruptly, leaving Charlie to be taken aback slightly by this... statement.
"Thanks?" Charlie says, a confused laugh escaping him.
Avery chuckles. "You're welcome. What I mean to say is... you're a handsome guy, and you're perfectly smart, the Head Boy, literally Mr Perfect... how come you're not dating anyone?"
Charlie takes a moment to think. "I mean... I'm not so sure? When you put it like that, I am pretty great—"
"Charlie!" Avery cuts off with a laugh. "No wonder you're a Gryffindor. You may be Mr Perfect, but you still have an ego."
The Weasley boy grins.
"Sorry," Charlie says, though the smile on his face says anything but. "I don't know." He answers more definitively. "I've not really... found the right person, to date, I suppose?"
"Perhaps it's a dragon you need instead?" Avery suggests humorously. Charlie gasps.
"You may be onto something!" He tells her. "Who even needs a human partner when you have a dragon?"
There's a small pause. And then they both burst into laughter.
"Okay, um, yeah." says Charlie. "What about... you? Turning the tables, you yourself are pretty, smart, and quite charming too. How come you're single?"
Avery presses her lips into a thin line. Perhaps she should've calculated that the tables would end up turning, and that asking Charlie about his love life would turn into asking Avery about hers. It's a strange conversation... but Avery doesn't think she minds.
"Um, yeah." says Avery. "I don't know, either. Last year... well, in fifth year and the beginning of sixth year, I dated Benjamin. You know, the guy I hang out with?"
"The one who looks like he just came out of the womb?"
Avery chuckles. "Yeah," she says, "That's him. With his adorable baby face. But, yeah. Me and him dated for a small while before we broke things off."
Charlie hums to himself, intrigued. "But you guys are just friends now?"
Avery nods, smiling. "It's better that way... for both of us. We were always gonna be friends regardless of dating each other."
"That's—uh—that's good." says Charlie. He smiles.
"Yeah, I guess it is."
(In that moment, they weren't sure what exactly was good, that they seemed to be talking about. But the smiles in each of their faces, as they were bundled with blankets and hot chocolates — it all said enough.)
***
wait okay i didnt like this chapter THAT much but... i hope you guys did??????
it was left unfinished for so long cos i didnt know what to do with the ending and tbh it's not my most FAVOURITE ending but like... avery and charlie are baby
&& the next chapter I VIBE WITH SM!! idk if you guys will be the same but i enjoyed writing that one sm so yeah 😌
hope you guys liked this & are staying well & healthy!!!!
also stan dominique <3