The Heart Of A Lion (A Charlie Weasley Love Story)

11. End Of School

Half an hour had definitely passed, but since Madam Pomfrey hadn't come back, Imogen figured the Healer must have fallen asleep. Charlie had scooted to one side of the bed, and Imogen was now sitting next to him. He was already starting to doze off due to the medication he'd been given; his lids looked heavy and words started to slur. Imogen smiled to herself and gently stroked Charlie's hair behind his ear. 

Her eyes then shifted to his bare body, and she lowered herself closer to the foot of the bed. The burns had already started to heal, but looked terrible nevertheless. Imogen let her fingers gently trace down Charlie's side, drawing lines across his wounds. Charlie's head fell back and he started to snore quietly. It made her heart melt. 

It had been over two years after their kiss at the Burrow. They had talked about it the day after and decided to keep it between the two – well, the decision was mostly Charlie's, but Imogen hadn't dared to object. It's not like she could force him to have feelings towards her. 

As much as she hated to admit it, she still felt the same way about Charlie, but tried to push it away the best she could. And to make the situation worse, Charlie and Nelly had gotten back together at the beginning of their last year at Hogwarts. 

Imogen brought her hand back to Charlie's face, tracing a line down his jawline. He mumbled something sleepily, and then wrapped his arm around Imogen's waist and pulled her closer to him. Imogen lay down and made sure not to touch the burns on the side of his body. Charlie let out a deep sigh, his body twitching as he started to enter sleep. 

Imogen felt slightly guilty over how much she was enjoying Charlie's touch; she knew he was under heavy medication and half asleep, but leaving his side now felt impossible to her. 

Imogen leaned her head onto his chest and lay there with her eyes open until she drifted into sleep herself. It wasn't too hard, listening to Charlie's silent mumbling and the sound of his heartbeat against her ear. 

When morning arrived, Imogen was woken up by Charlie's harrowing moan. She quickly shifted her weight off of him, eyeing him carefully. 

"I'm sorry", Imogen sat up: "I didn't mean to stay until the morning..." 

"It's okay", Charlie breathed and grasped his side, grunting in pain. Just as Imogen had stood up, Madam Pomfrey rushed out of her office with a bottle of green liquid in her hand. 

"I do not recall agreeing to you staying overnight, Miss Everett", she raised her eyebrows at Imogen and shook her head disapprovingly. 

"I didn't sleep here", she said quickly, but Madam Pomfrey's eyes shifted to the creased sheets next to Charlie, and then to Imogen's bare feet. She felt her face turn red, but Charlie smiled at the caretaker. 

"I asked her to stay, Madam", he lied. The older witch gave him a suspecting look before turning back to Imogen. 

"Alright, then", she said: "Off you go. Don't you have classes to attend?" 

"I'll come back after school, okay?" the girl said to Charlie before putting on her shoes and rushing out. 

***

Charlie had to spend another night at the Hospital Wing, and this time Madam Pomfrey made sure that Imogen was in her own bed in Gryffindor Tower. She didn't have time to visit him in the morning, so after classes she headed straight into his dorm. 

"Oh! Sorry", Imogen blushed as she walked in on Charlie wearing nothing but his trousers. Her eyes dropped to the side of his body, where most of the burns had already healed well. 

Charlie noticed the look on her face and smiled faintly: "Madam Pomfrey said the scars are likely to never fully heal." 

Imogen opened her mouth to say something, but the words didn't leave her mouth. Instead, she walked up to her friend and hugged him.