(A/N: random, but do you guys actually take a look at the fanarts above? just curious lol)
Third Person P.O.V.:
Snow was swirling against the icy windows once more — Christmas was approaching fast.
Hagrid had already singlehandedly delivered the usual twelve Christmas trees to the Great Hall; garlands of holly and tinsel had been twisted around the banisters of the stairs; everlasting candles glowed from inside the helmets of suits of armor and great bunches of mistletoe had been hung at intervals along the corridors.
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Large groups of girls tended to converge underneath the mistletoe bunches every time Charlie went past, which caused blockages in the corridors; fortunately, however, Charlie's frequent nighttime wanderings had given him an unusually good knowledge of the castle's secret passageways, so that he was often, without too much difficulty, to navigate mistletoe-free routes between classes.
It had been over a week since the events of the Quidditch match, and Charlie had developed a tendency to lock himself away in his dorm, feigning sickness. On the rare occasion where Harry dragged him from Gryffindor Tower, Charlie would try and avoid Hermione at all costs, only running into her when it was seemingly unavoidable and even then their interactions were very minimal.
Charlie's hands and forearms still bore scratches and cuts from Hermione's bird attack, acting as an unpleasant, and constant, reminder of all that he had lost. Elaina and Harry were relentless in their attempt to abolish their friend's sorrow, but everywhere Charlie seemed to go, an air of melancholy seemed to surround him.
Ron, who had yet to apologize for locking lips with Hermione in front of Charlie, simply carried about his newfound life of popularity. The ginger's newest adaptation of character traits was one of the utmost arrogance, and Charlie found himself cold-shouldering Ron whenever the two crossed paths; naturally, Harry and Elaina understood this and failed in their attempt to pardon Ron for his wrongdoings as well.
Luckily for Charlie, he wasn't forced to endure the heartache of seeing Ron and Hermione together, for he had found himself once more as the best friend of two people who seemed unlikely ever to speak to each other again. Harry would attest to the obvious tension between Ron and Hermione, but would never divulge to Charlie the reason.
And so, Charlie Hawthorne had concluded himself as a walking poster child for heartbreak and suffering; the woman he loved had been in the arms of another and, if that wasn't enough, his Dark Mark had begun to pulsate with unbearable pain more frequently than ever before.
The difference, however, was that Charlie wasn't forced to suffer alone anymore, for he now had two people by his side that he knew he could always count on for support; Harry Potter and Elaina Dumont.
"What'd do you reckon Voldemort wants?" Harry had asked Charlie, referring to the Dark Lord, as they sat in the Great Hall one morning with Elaina."Do you think Malfoy suffers the same pain you do?"
