“You enter first.” hissed Rose, looking at Albus. Albus shook his head, folding his arms across his chest.
“Going in there is like a fucking death sentence – there could be a person with a gun right behind this door! They could be listening to our conversation! We're probably their targets now, now that they know we're onto them!”
“Oh grow up Drama Queen!”
“Well, if you don't believe me, you go in!”
“I'm younger than you-”
“By a couple of bloody months!”
“And? I'm still younger!”
“I don't give a shit! You're the one with brains!”
“And you're father was the Chosen One – and you're apparently like him! So you're meant to be the brave one!”
“But both of your parents helped him – so they're brave too, which means that you're meant to be..be...be double brave!”
“You're a Gryffindor! Gryffindor's are brave!” yelled Rose. Charlee sighed. If their indeed was a murderer behind the door, he'd definitely know there were people outside now.
“You're a Gryffindor too!” Albus yelled back, stamping his foot in frustration.
“You...you...you're older!”
“We've already been through this!”
“Well I don't give a damn-”
“I'll go in first!” yelled Louis, slamming his book shut, and walking past them both. He pushed open the door, and entered. Charlee caught the door before it closed, and turned to look at her best friends.
“And he's the Hufflepuff.” she said, before she entered after him.
The Hogs Head looked exactly the same as it had two years ago, the first, and only time Charlee had entered the pub. Every surface looked like it hadn't been touched for decades.
Charlee followed Louis as the approached the barman, Aberforth.
“Um...excuse me, Mr Dumbledore?” Aberforth turned around, and glared at them all.
“We need a place to stay for the night – the Hogwarts gates are locked, and we don't think they will realise we're missing till morning.” explain Louis. Aberforth nodded, and limped over to the dusty key rack behind him. He picked up the largest key, which was at the top, and hobbled back over.
“Room for six.” he said in a gruff tone, letting the key fall onto the table with a loud clank.
“10 galleons.” Everyone looked in their pockets, and, together, gave the man the ten galleons. He nodded, and turned his back on them.
Charlee glanced at Louis. He shrugged. She picked up the key, and walked out of the door, which was stood ajar, at the end of the room.
The hallway was pitch black when they entered it, the only source of light being from the room they had just left.
“Lumos.” Charlee whispered, and a beam grew at the end of her wand, lighting up the small passage.
“What does the number say on the key, Charlee?” asked Hugo from behind. He was looking at all the numbers on the doors as they passed.
“It says...” Charlee slowed down walking, as she squinted at the dirty key.
“Number one...one...one three – We've got room thirteen.” she said, stopping in her tracks, and looking around.
“It's here.”” called out Scorpius, who was at the back of the group. He hadn't spoken the whole time they had been trying to find a place to stay – and Charlee didn't blame him. Albus had only just stopped giving him death glares; and that was because he was preoccupied.
Charlee turned back, and made her way through the group, before she can to a stop in front of the old, wooden door. She pushed the key into the keyhole, and turned. It wouldn't move.
She pushed the key in further, and tried again. It still wouldn't move.
She turned around.
“It won't move-”
“Oh, let me try.” grumbled Hugo, taking the key off her. Charlee backed away. She knew better than not to argue with Hugo when he was in a bad mood.
On the first turn, the lock unlocked, and the door burst open, showering them with dust. Coughing, and spluttering, the six made their way into the room.
The first thing Charlee noticed was the beds. Their were three big, but rotten-looking, double beds, each up against it's own wall.
“Oh...” Rose said, as she walked further into the room. “There are only three beds.”
“Point out the obvious.” muttered Hugo, walking over to the bed against the furthest wall, and sitting down.
Charlee turned around to look at the others.
“Uhm...I'll share a bed with Scorp-” Rose started, before Albus cut her off.
“Oh no you're not!” he said, looking between the two.
“Would you rather sleep with him?!” Rose asked. Albus looked bewildered.
“No-”
“Or maybe Charlee can sleep with him!” at this remark, Charlee and Scorpius looked hastily away from each other. How awkward.
“Fine!” Albus sighed in frustration. “You and him-” he shot Scorpius a filthy look “- can share the same bed. But if anything happens, I am telling your father Rose Nymphadora Weasley!”
“Don't use my full name!” she hissed, but she grabbed Scorpius' arm, and pulled him over to the bed against the left wall. Albus sighed, and turned to Louis.
“You're sharing a bed with Hugo-”
“Oh no I'm not!” Louis and Hugo said at exactly the same time.
“Do you want to share a bed with Charlee instead?” he asked them both.
“I wouldn't mind.” shrugged Hugo, and Louis nodded in agreement.
“Well, tough! You're sleeping together!” and with that, he stormed over to the last bed, which was against the right wall. Charlee, giving Louis a sympathetic look, walked after Albus, and gently crawled onto the bed, coming to a stop beside him. He didn't turn around.
Charlee sighed, and slipped her bag off from around her shoulders, before dropping it onto the ground beside the bed. She then lay back against the bedpost, and started playing with a wand, red, blue and green sparks jetting out of the end of it.
From across the room, Hugo spoke up.
“Well...what are we going to do now?” he asked. Everyone looked at one another. Charlee caught Rose's eye. They both shrugged.
“Well...”started Scorpius carefully. “We are in a pub... and it is Saturday night...I say we have some fun.”
Two hours later, and Charlee found herself sat on Albus' lap by the bar in the pub, laughing at a stupid joke Scorpius had just cracked. It had turned out, that Aberforth Dumbledore wasn't such an annoying grouch after all; he had given them countless drinks on the house, and was now leaning against the bar, listening to Hugo talk animatedly at the latest fight he had gotten into a school. Even Louis had put his book down, and was joining in with the talk about fights, and Hogwarts, with Aberforth and Hugo. Rose and Scorpius were sat on the stool next to her and Albus, and they were both intertwined with each other, and snogging the other to within an inch of their life. The miracle was, however, that Albus didn't seem to mind – he'd even had a ten minute conversation with Scorpius about Quidditch, earlier.
Four hours later, and the six of them bid their drunk goodnight's to the barman, and made their way back down the musky corridor. Once they had reached the door, Charlee inserted the key to the lock, and grasped the handle. She pushed the door open, and stumbled over to the bed she shared with Albus, before collapsing down onto it.
“Well that was fun.” Rose commented, as she slid into her bed with Scorpius. Even though she'd had some firewhiskey, Rose had not nearly gotten as drunk as everyone else.
“See – Slytherin's can have good ideas.” Scorpius said, as he slid into bed next to her. Everyone laughed.
“You're not that bad, Scorp...” mumbled Hugo, who was already curled up in a ball in the bed he had to share with Louis. Louis nodded in agreement, before he yanked at the covers, of which Hugo was hogging.
Finally, Albus slid under the covers, and flicked his wand at the light switch. The lights turned out, and before long, Hugo snores started up.
After a while, Charlee pushed back the cover, and crawled under it, before pulling the duvet over her.
“Al?” Charlee whispered.
“Yeah?” he replied quietly.
“I...I haven't got anything with me. No pyjama's, no toothbrush, no nothing.” Charlee felt her cheeks turn pink with embarrassment as she said this.
“Just strip.” she heard Albus say, from somewhere near her ear. She rolled over, and landed on top of something solid.
“Ouch! Could've given me warning!” he mumbled. Charlee let out a giggle.
“I'm sorry.” she whispered, shuffling back off of him, and sitting up.
“You can't see anything, can you?” she asked. There was no reply.
“Albus?” she asked.
“Oh! Sorry – I shook my head.” Charlee laughed softly, before she slid off her jeans, unbuttoned her waistcoat, removed her top, and unhooked her bra. She then lay back down, feeling much more comfortable.
“Al?” Charlee whispered, for the second time. She heard a grunt, and movement from beside her.
“Yeah?” he asked.
“What...what are we going to do tomorrow? I mean...what if they don't see us send up sparks...what if we can't get back into Hogwarts?” she asked. Albus sighed, and she heard him fumble around for something. She then heard him mutter a word, and a bright light ignited from the end of his wand tip. Charlee was momentarily blinded, and threw her hands across her face.
“Ow! Shit! Albus! Put it out! Shit!” she hissed, blinking repeatedly, as he hastily put out his wand, and replaced it back onto the bed side table.
“Sorry.” he mumbled. Charlee let out a soft laugh, and slid her arms around his waist, cuddling up to him. She felt him freeze for a second, before he encircled his arms around her.
“What's wrong?” she asked, looking up in hope of seeing his face.
“Nothing.” he said quietly. She shivered gently; his breath had brushed against her hair. She moved up a bit.
“Why did you freeze for a second then?” she asked.
“I just didn't realise that you were topless.” he replied. His hair was brushing against her cheek. She turned her head, and felt her nose bump against his before something soft crushed against her lips. She closed her eyes for a second, as her lips moved in sync with his, before she pulled away.
“Sorry, I didn't mean-” she was cut off short, as a hand pushed against the back of her head gently, and her lips met with his once more.
This was what Charlee had been looking for. It didn't matter, any more, that she was in a strange, and unfamiliar place, and that the events tomorrow were unforeseeable. It didn't matter that her best friend was across the room from her, sleeping with her ex that no one knew about. It didn't matter that her supposed boyfriend had cheated on her with her best friend's girlfriend. It didn't matter that a great friend of hers was marrying a psychotic bitch. All that mattered was Albus; Albus with his arms protectively around her; Albus with his hand rubbing soothing circles on her lower back; Albus, with his lips moving in time with hers; Albus, his breath mingling with her own; Albus.
Charlee broke off the kiss, and stared up into Albus' eyes...or where she thought his eyes were, since she still couldn't see them.
“Al?” she asked quietly, for what was now the third time.
“Yes?” he asked, just as quietly.
“Are...are...do you love me?” She squeezed her eyes tight shut, afraid of the answer.
Of course he doesn't love you, she thought, feeling foolish. He's just being nice. Yes. Nice. That's it.
Before he could reply, she opened her mouth again.
“I'm sorry, I...I shouldn't have said that.”
“Charlee-”
“Forget I said anything-”
“Charlee-”
“I mean, Rose said you were in love with me-”
“Charlee-”
“But that's absurd isn't it? I did tell her so-”
“It's not actually.” he said quietly. Charlee frowned.
“Wh...what?” She felt movement beside her, and when Albus next opened his mouth, she felt a warm breeze blow across her lips.
“I've liked you since I met you, Charlee. I've always liked you more than a friend. And it was obvious; everyone know it...”
“Apart from me.” she said quietly.
“Apart from you.” he repeated. “I've been so close to telling you, many times. But...I guess I never did. It never felt like the right moment...”
“And tonight did?” she asked. Albus chuckled.
“I've had a few to drink.”
“So have I. But I feel completely sober.”
“Same.” he sighed, and Charlee could feel his eyes searching her invisible body.
“Charlee?”
“Yeah?”
“Could you tell me something?” Charlee nodded, before she remembered he couldn't see her.
“Oh, uh, yeah. Sure – what is it?”
“Uhm...could you tell me...how do you feel about, uh...well...me?” It was now that Charlee wished she could see his face.
“I...” It was now, or never. But what could Charlee do? She didn't like him in that way-
Oh shut up! You are in denial about everything! Don't you see, idiot? You are in love with him. What's so bad about admitting it?
“Because if I admit it...what if something goes wrong? I'll lose him...” she whispered to herself.
“What?” asked Albus quietly. Charlee clapped a hand to her mouth. Had she said that out loud?
“I...I...”
“Charlee! It would never go wrong!” Albus whispered, his hand cupping her cheek, his thumb stroking it softly.
“I'd never let it go wrong. You mean too much to me.” Charlee sighed, and slid her hand over his.
“But what if it did go wrong-”
“But what if it didn't?”
“But what if it did-”
“Charlee – you've got to start taking risks! Maybe it won't last – maybe it will. But you've got to live in the present, and not the future.” Charlee couldn't see how to argue; Charlee didn't want to argue.
“I don't want to lose you.” she whispered quietly, feeling tears started to leak from the corners of her eyes.
“You will never lose me, baby.” he whispered in her ear. Charlee closed her eyes, as he kissed across her cheek, and down her neck. Charlee smiled, and slid her free hand into his hair, twisting her fingers into his raven locks.
“I love you.” she whispered. As soon as she said it, it felt like a huge weight had lifted from her shoulders; she knew it was true.
“I love you too.” Charlee could hear the smile in Albus' voice as she heard him say it.
“Do you...do you want...Charlee – will you be my girlfriend?” Now, Charlee was glad for the darkness, for Albus wouldn't see the stupid grin that had crept onto her face.
“Yes.” she said simply. Albus gave a dry chuckle, and gently pressed his lips against hers. Charlee gently pressed her lips back against his, when -
“Fucking finally!” she light switch came on, and Charlee and Albus sprang apart at the sight that was waiting for them at the bottom of the bed.
Rose, Scorpius, Hugo, and Louis were all sat along the end of the bed, looking incredibly smug with themselves.
“We thought that was going to go on forever!” said Rose, throwing her hands up in the air.
“'But what if it did go wrong?'” Scorpius said, mimicking Charlee's voice.
“'But what if it didn't?'” replied Rose, mimicking Albus' voice.
“'But what if it did?'”
“'Oh Charlee! You've gotta live in the present, and not the future! Take risks! I love you, baby!'”
“Hey!” said Albus, sitting up straight in the bed. “I didn't say that-”
“So? It was something along those lines.” Rose smiled smugly. Making sure that the duvet was still covering her neck and downwards, and grabbed one of the pillows from behind her head, and chucked it at the four of them, who all scattered immediately.
“And turn of the light!” yelled Charlee. The light clicked off, and Charlee grinned in the darkness, before cuddling back up to Albus' side, who's arms encircled her once more.
Maybe these things were just meant to be?
A/N: Okay – who loves me? ;)
Yes! They are finally together! After...thirteen chapters! And where do they get together? In the Hogs Head. With Scorpius, Rose, Hugo and Louis listening in to their conversation at the end of the bed :P
So...did I do well? Are Charlee and Albus meant to be? Tell me what you think (:
But bad news guys! I know that, recently, my updates have been – what? A new chapter every day? Well, that's because I had written, about... 5 chapters ahead, while one chapter was waiting in the queue......But, uh, because of me being the epic fail that I am, this is the last chapter that I have written so far, soooo...the next update might be a couple of days – a week at most (I know :'( I'm sorry!)
But, if you'd like to help me out – writing reviews makes me type faster (:
Write a Review Forget About Forbidden: The Hogs Head
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