Beauxbatons [Charlie Weasley]

Studying

Maisie, Ollie and Noah spend the next several weeks cooped up in the Gryffindor common room with Charlie and Isabelle, all five of them surrounded in stacks of books, Ollie so much so that it's barely possible to see the top of his head.

"Why is it, that teachers always decide to give us the most homework around exam time?" Noah spits, clearly annoyed.

Isabelle looks up from her Herbology essay, watching the brown-haired boy glare down at his Transfiguration homework with pure hatred.

"Like, hello, there's the entire rest of the year you could have set this stuff, but no, you just have to set it when I'm about to complete an exam in a few weeks' time, don't you?" he continues, standing up abruptly.

"I need a walk," he sighs, suddenly defeated.

"I'll come with," Maisie says, standing up beside him and stretching. "I need a break, anyway."

Noah nods and the two of them weave their way around the piles of books, disappearing through the portrait hole.

"What in Merlin's name is Fluxweed?" Charlie asks, clueless, as he stares down at his own Herbology essay.

"Eet eez a member of zee mustard family and eez known for eets 'ealing properties," Isabelle replies softly, without looking up from what she's writing. "When picked at zee full moon, eet can be used in zee making of zee Polyjuice Potion — sixteen scruples needed."

"Thanks," Charlie says, scribbling down what she just said.

Isabelle doesn't reply, simply finishing off her essay and putting the parchment down on the table in front of her with a sigh, rubbing her eyes.

"Tired?" Ollie teases, glancing up over his book fortress.

Isabelle just mumbles something, rubbing her eyes again and curling up in her armchair, tucking her socked feet underneath her and closing her eyes. Ollie chuckles, before going back to his work, but Charlie remains staring at her for a little while, smiling softly as she falls asleep, her steady breathing filling the common room.

Ollie looks up from his Charms work, watching Charlie curiously as he continues to stare fondly at the sleeping French girl.

"Why don't you just tell her, mate?" Ollie asks, causing Charlie's head to snap up to him.

There's a pause, Charlie just staring, before he sighs, running a hand through his red hair.

"It's that obvious, huh?" he asks.

Ollie chuckles, putting down his quill.

"Maisie was the first to guess. That was months ago, back at your first quidditch game."

Charlie blinks.

"Really? I'm not even sure I liked her back then."

"Oh, I'm sure you did, you just didn't realise it. Maisie was talking about how you just had to like her at breakfast that morning, and after the game when she gave you a massive hug Noah and I started to agree. After that, it just became obvious," Ollie finishes, grinning at the Quidditch Captain's bewilderment.

"And what's more, Maisie's now convinced Isabelle likes you, too," Ollie adds, Charlie's eyes widening considerably as he sits up straighter.

"Really?" he asks eagerly. "How does she know?"

Ollie just chuckles and shrugs.

"No idea, mate. When Noah and I asked her she just said 'girl-tuition.' You'll have to ask her yourself," he replies, just as the portrait door swings back open, Maisie and Noah entering the common room once more.