However, the lessons weren't the only time we were together. You could find us talking to each other during meals, the classes we had together, and while doing homework. Charlie would being to explain the rules of Quidditch, but gradually the subject would drift off from Quidditch and to other topics, such as family and hilarious experiences. As much as it is evident now, I didn't really realize that Charlie and I were becoming friends. I just happened gradually, unlike when children are six and walk up to a random person, asking them to be their best mate.
One Friday morning, Charlie and I were walking down to the Great Hall for breakfast. I was lightly swinging my bag filled with books, listening to Charlie conversing about how a member of the Merlin Magics got traded to the North Stars. I swung too hard and suddenly, the bottom seam of my bag split. Books, quills and bottles of ink flew a good few decimeters and crashed to the floor with an echoing thunk! It shouldn't have caught me off guard, but it did. I had an unusually heavy load of books today, and my bag was an old one, from my second year. I ran to where my books lay, covered in emerald ink, and began to pick them up.
"Abdo atramentum," I muttered, tapping my spell books. The ink vanished, leaving no trace that it was ever drenched in jade liquid. I counted all of my books and came up one short. I looked around, and found Charlie studying it curiously. He looked at me with question and interest in his eyes.
"Do you like dragons?" He asked, holding up the book. I borrowed it from the library and was going to return it after breakfast.
"Yes...do you?"
"Like them? How can some only like them? They're...wicked. They're powerful and wild, dangerous and fascinating." He had a strange gleam in his eyes, and it made me a little nervous. He must have noticed my discomfort, so he closed his eyes and shook his head, clearing the gleam. "Sorry," he apologized, "but they're so cool."
I turned to my mess of books. "Repairo!" I cried out, waving my wand. Ink flew back into newly repaired ink bottles, and my bag sewed itself up again. I stuffed everything back into my bag, and we set off for the Great Hall once again.
After a breakfast of toast, bacon, sausage and coffee, we headed quickly down to the library before our first class. We went down the hall, took a left, went up some stairs, took another left, rounded the corner to the library and...couldn't believe our eyes.
There, by the first shelf, was Filtch and Madam Prince, locked in a passionate embrace.
My eyes popped open and my jaw dropped. The book slid out of my hands and hit the floor with a crash. In the silence of the library, it sounded like a dragon's roar. Madam Prince and Filtch were suddenly separate people, and staring back at us with an expression full of shock, anger, and worry.
"You..." began Filtch, and Madam Prince lunged for her wand.
"RUN!" Yelped Charlie, scaring me half to death. In shock of
recent events, I had completely forgotten that he was there.
He didn't have to yell twice. We tore down the hall, turning left and right every so often. After running for what seemed like forever, I stopped and leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath. Charlie also stopped and put both hands on the wall, gasping for breath.
"Where are we running?" He asked in between gasps.
"I don't know," I answered, panting. "Away, I guess."
After wandering around, we finally found ourselves in front of the Gryffindor common room. From there, we made our way to our classes.
That night, I met Charlie as usual. We didn't say anything, but we both knew what the other was thinking about - today's adventure in the library. Finally, Charlie broke the ice. "So...", he began. He grinned. "Whoever said that librarians are boring?"
I smiled and suddenly, we both burst out laughing. For the second time that day, I couldn't breathe. I fell back onto the ground, and Charlie had to help me up again.
"Business time," he said, with a what was supposed to be a serious look on his face. His eyes were full of fun and joy, and the corners of his mouth twitched. "Guess what I have?" He continued on before I could answer. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Golden Snitch.
"I think you're ready," he began, "to try the Seeker's position." I mounted my broom, and Charlie let go of the Snitch.
The little ball of gold couldn't have flown off quicker if it had been shot out of a cannon. I kicked off with a groan. It was going to be impossible to find it.
I flew around for what seemed to be an hour. It shouldn't take this long to catch it I thought dismally. I opened my mouth to tell Charlie I was finished, when something glinted in the far corner of the field. I took off, and before I knew it, the Snitch was struggling in my fist.
I hovered in the air in shock. Did I just catch the Snitch...?
I suddenly bent over in a dive, jumped off the broom, and ran to Charlie. "I did it!!!" I yelled out.
Charlie raised his hand in a hi-five motion, but I just ran into his arms and hugged him as hard as I could. He spun me around, yelling, "I knew you could do it!" We screamed and yelled out until our voices got sore. I felt like I was walking on air. I had just caught the Snitch...I had just caught the Snitch...
Walking back to the castle, I felt closer to Charlie than to any other person. I think he thought so too, and it seemed perfectly natural for him to take my hand and twine my fingers in his. I felt safe and joyful, and I rested my head on his shoulder. He let go of my hand to push open the castle doors, and he didn't take my hand again. We strolled into the common room without anyone knowing how close we felt.
It wasn't until I was in bed when the idea that Charlie's actions could have been romantic hit me like a Bludger. No, I decided, burying my face in my pillow. We're friends. Just friends.
But then how could I explain the tingling in my arm hours afterward?