𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 | 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿

Night of Bliss & Sealed with a Kiss

CHAPTER TEN:

(A/N: warning — enjoy...)

Third Person P.O.V.:

Despite the very heavy load of homework that the fourth years had been given for the holidays, Charlie was in no mood to work when term ended, and spent the week leading up to Christmas enjoying himself as fully as possible along with everyone else — or attempting to anyway.

Hermione hadn't said more than two words two him since that day in the common room, and he was desperately trying to understand why. They've fought before, sure, but that was nothing compared to how they were now. For the first time, Charlie felt like a stranger to her. Hell, Hermione even avoided Harry and Ron out of fear that they might talk about Charlie; hearing his name caused sadness to swell up inside her.

Meanwhile, it was eating Charlie up inside not knowing who she was going to the Yule Ball with. The unfamiliar feeling he had felt had now had been discovered as immense jealousy as he took the time to think it over. He didn't understand what he was feeling before, but suddenly, it hit him full force like a truck; he was jealous because he had secretly wanted to be Hermione's date to the dance, but as always, his father ruined everything.

Ever since Elaina had said that she'd be his date, she was hanging around him more than ever before, which he thought, could be the reason that Hermione has been so distant, but he didn't know for sure. He figured that the news had spread about him taking Elaina to the dance, and that's why Hermione refused to speak with him, but little did he know, she was mad for a whole other reason.

Charlie had even tried multiple times to talk to Ginny about Hermione, but she seemed just as upset at him as Hermione was. During the first week of holiday break, Charlie tried to preoccupy his head by focusing specifically on Elaina, but he had felt so much guilt around her lately, it was almost as if he committed some sort of crime.

Snow was falling thickly upon the castle and its grounds now. The pale blue Beauxbatons carriage looked like a large, chilly, frosted pumpkin next to the iced gingerbread house that was Hagrid's cabin, while the Durmstrang ship's portholes were glazed with ice, the rigging white with frost. The house-elves down in the kitchen were outdoing themselves with a series of rich, warming stews and savory puddings, one could simply tell by the atmosphere that the holidays were approaching.

On Christmas Eve, Charlie awoke suddenly. Wondering what had caused his abrupt return to consciousness, he opened his eyes, and saw something with very large, round, green eyes staring back at him in the darkness, so close they were almost nose to nose.

"Dobby!" Charlie yelled, scrambling away from the elf so fast he almost fell out of bed. "Don't do that!"

"Dobby is sorry, sir!" squeaked Dobby anxiously, jumping backward with his long fingers over his mouth. "Dobby is only wanting to say, 'hello' to Charlie Hawthorne and drop off his dress robes as requested, sir! Charlie Hawthorne did say Dobby could come and see him sometimes, sir!"

"It's okay," said Charlie, still breathing rather faster than usual, while his heart rate returned to normal. "Just — just like nudge me or something in future, all right, don't stand over me like that..."

Charlie pulled back the curtains around his four-poster, rubbed his eyes, and slicked his messy hair back. His yell had awoken Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville. All of them were peering through the gaps in their own hangings, heavy-eyed and messy-haired.

"Someone attacking you, Charlie?" Seamus asked sleepily.

"No, it's just Dobby," Charlie muttered. "Go back to sleep."