Lumos (ON HOLD)

The Forest

Charlie cowers behind Hermione, before remembering that she has a reputation to uphold. Harry jumps off of the bed and practically hurls himself at Draco. He starts throwing punches at Malfoy, who is struggling to push Harry off of him. Hermione sighs and pulls herself off of the bed to pull the duo apart. Charlie whispers in her ear.

"I'll take Harry. Please don't make me have to touch Malfoy." Hermione nods and Charlie grabs Harry's arm and tugs him off of Draco's chest. She mock scowls at Harry and mutters,

"Well, you got a couple of good ones in, at least!" Harry grins at her and laughs as Hermione steers Malfoy out of the hospital ward and shuts the door behind him.

"Now, where were we?" Hermione snickers before shutting her mouth as the tall door that she had just shut swings open, revealing McGonagall holding Draco around his upper arm. The four each adopt a solemn expression as the professor glowers at them.

"Would anyone mind telling me why one of our students has a black eye?" Professor McGonagall raises her eyebrow at the first years in front of her, "Charlie? Would you mind answering my question?" Charlie keeps her head down, staring at the polished floor. McGonagall sighs and releases her grip from Draco's arm,

"Detention, all four of you! And if someone doesn't give me an answer soon, it'll be every night this week." With that, she spun on her heel and marched out of the infirmary, her cloak swishing behind her.

"Night? Why is it at night?" Charlie squeaked, raising her head up, looking at Hermione in confusion. Draco sighs,

"Look, I'm sorry! I didn't realise you would panic quite so much! Obviously, I knew you would be shocked, I only wanted
you to get your arm off of my throat, I had no idea it would turn into this large a fiasco!" Harry snarled at hearing Draco's apology,

"Liar! You don't go around kissing people!!" Harry stormed out of the hospital ward, with Hermione and Ron close behind him, Charlie followed, throwing an apologetic look at Malfoy over her shoulder.

***

Sitting at the dinner table, the conversation turned to discussion over what would be the detention. Each of the group have their own ideas, although, as usual, Hermione's is the most plausible.

"Honestly Charlie? When have we ever had to re-order the contents of Snape's potion ingredients cupboard? And Harry, I highly doubt that we will have to clean the Owlery, without gloves! No, I think we will have to be helping Hagrid or Filch with something, that's what they usually have as detentions." Hermione pushes a few peas around her plate with her fork. Charlie looks up from her barely touched soup and grabs a buttered bread roll, biting the corner off of it.

"I hope we don't have to do anything in the Forbidden Forest!" Hermione shivers at Charlie's statement, her comment drowned out by a chorus of catcalls and wolf whistles coming from the Slytherin table. The trio look over and scoff at the sight of two fifth years snogging.

"That's revolting!" Charlie yells at the pair, who are defended by the rest of Slytherin yelling, "don't be a hypocrite!"

"What do they mean by that?" She asks Harry, who looks at Hermione for help.

"Just ignore them, Charlie." Hermione says, with a guilty note woven into the comment. Harry sighs,

"Our darling Malfoy, has told Slytherin that you kissed him." Charlie looks at Harry in astonishment.

"That lying little -" Her curse is cut off by McGonagall's cough of disapproval.

"Your detention will be held at eight thirty, on the dot. Meet Hagrid at his hut, on time please. Make sure Malfoy comes, would you? What we will do with that boy, I have no idea." The Professor muttered the last comment as she walked away, her boots clacking against the stone floor.

"Ugh, I forgot we had to serve detention with it. Ron is so lucky that he doesn't have detention." Harry sighs. Charlie dips her bread into the rich tomato soup and bites off the now red edge of roll.

***

Charlie completes her sixth circuit of Hagrid's hut when she sees the large figure of Hagrid coming across the grounds, with Draco's silvery blond hair behind him, glinting in the moonlight. Her pulse lifts slightly and she mentally slaps herself
'Ha, no way girl! Don't start getting nervous, just be sassy!' She thinks to herself,
"Nice face Malfoy! You should probably go to Madam Pomfrey for that." She calls out. Hermione gives her an incredulous look.
"Oh yeah, that was really sassy, nice one Charlie, real witty! God, could this evening get any worse?" Charlie mutters under her breath just as Hagrid announces,
"Tonight, we will be going into the Forest, som'things bin killin' unicorns an' that's a nasty business, if I ever did see one. Right, Charlie, you'll be going with Draco," Charlie sighs in defeat, "Harry, Hermione, you'll be coming with me. Charlie, take Fang with you, although I warn you, he's a right wimp. If you see silvery liquid, or you are in trouble, shoot up red sparks with yer wand, an' I'll come an' find you." With that, Hagrid beckons to Hermione and Harry and disappeared into the dark forest. Draco stares at them before turning to Charlie and gives her a wide eyed stare, which she returns with her signature raised eyebrow and curled lip. She spins on her heel and marches towards the first row of trees, whistling for Fang as she did so.

*AN: I'm sorry! Please don't kill me! I know I said it would be long,but lemonstories was pestering me to publish the next chapter, Muwahaha! I pinky swear that the next chapter will be longer and god forbid if you break a pinky promise!
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howling-wolf