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BOOK FOUR: CHAPTER TWO

"That was a great practice, team! Well done, all of you. Walker, you did great, and with a few more practices, I know you'll be ready for your first game. You're all free to go. Have a great weekend, and we'll reconvene on Monday!" As the team piled out of the Quidditch pitch, Veronica stayed behind to help Emily clean up. At least, that's what she tried to do, but Emily stopped her. "No, no, no, V, I'm all good here. Go. I've kept you from Weasley long enough; I wasn't expecting the practice to go on for as long as it did. He's been waiting for you for hours, so go. It's all good."

Veronica rolled her eyes playfully as she chuckled at her captain. "Are you sure, Em?"

"Of course! Go on." Emily emphasized her words by practically shoving Veronica out of the pitch. "See you next week!" She called after her as she watched her walk away down the path.

Veronica waved without turning back, and once she was out of Emily's line of sight, she ran towards Hogsmeade. It was almost dinner time, but she and Charlie still had enough time to sit and enjoy the sun by the lake before it set. However, the smile on her face disappeared as soon as she walked through the door of The Three Broomsticks. She almost didn't believe what she was seeing; she thought her eyes must have been playing tricks on her. There, at the back of the pub in the booth where she had left Tonks that morning, the Hufflepuff girl sat holding hands with none other than Charlie Weasley. To say Veronica was shocked and confused was an understatement. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but it was blatantly obvious from the way they were looking at each other as they sat inches apart that they were a couple now. How did this happen? Neither of them have shown any interest in the other before today. And Tonks is supposed to be my friend... she knows how I feel about Charlie... how... how could she do this?

Veronica immediately felt sick to her stomach; she couldn't watch this anymore or she really would throw up. As she turned to bolt out of the pub, she heard her name from behind her and knew who it was without turning around. Charlie called her name again, and she knew there was no getting out of it now. They had seen her. Slowly, she took a deep breath to steady her nerves before turning back and making her way over to the table. The smug smile on Tonks' face said it all. She knew what she was doing, and it was intentional. Veronica forced a smile onto her face, but at this point, she really didn't care if it looked genuine. She almost wanted Charlie to know she was upset about this, but he was her best friend, and he wasn't doing anything wrong. He wasn't the one betraying her, and if this made him happy, she had to accept that. No matter how much it hurt. So, with that thought running through her head, she tried her best to hide her emotions as she congratulated the couple. Charlie invited her to sit with them, and she had no choice but to oblige, even though that was the last thing she wanted to do. "So, how did this happen?"

"Well," Charlie began, "Tonks and I were just talking and getting to know each other, and we realized we have a lot in common. Then I guess it kinda turned into a date somehow and then she told me she liked me. So we're dating now."

Veronica felt the knife in her back twist even more. She told him she liked him? She was the one that started this? What the hell? "Wow, you never told me you liked him, Tonks." Veronica chuckled, hoping it would sound genuine.

"Well, he's your best friend, so I didn't know how you would react, that's all." Tonks shrugged nonchalantly, but a smirk graced her lips once Charlie had his back to her.

As Charlie was watching her, she could only smile. Right, you had no idea at all how I would react. Veronica knew at that moment that she needed to confront Tonks immediately or else she would explode. She needed to get her away from Charlie. Standing from the booth quickly, she announced, "I actually need to go to the bathroom. Come with me, Tonks?" The two girls always went to the bathroom together, so it wasn't an unusual question; she was sure Charlie wouldn't think anything of it.

"Umm, I think I'll stay here with Charlie, but you can go. We'll be here when you get back."

Veronica was about to protest, but Charlie beat her to it. "No, no. Go with her, Tonks. I'll be fine."

Veronica smirked triumphantly at the defeated look on the Hufflepuff's face. Slowly, she got up from the bench and followed behind Veronica to the bathroom, and once the door was closed, and they were alone, Veronica spun around and pushed Tonks forcefully, emphasizing every word with a shove. "What. The. Actual. Fuck. Tonks! You made a move on Charlie? How could you do that? You know how I feel about him. You're supposed to be my friend... this is the ultimate betrayal."

"Oh come on, Singer. I gave you plenty of opportunities to ask him out, and you didn't. You didn't have the balls to do it, but I did. I earned this fair and square, and I'm not sorry about it."

Veronica was flabbergasted and beyond speechless. She could not believe what she was hearing. The person standing in front of her... she couldn't recognize her. This was not the person she had befriended last year. That person was gone and replaced by a heartless and ruthless lookalike. Without wasting another breath on her, Veronica stepped around her and left the bathroom, making her way over to Charlie and willing herself not to cry. "Hey, are we still going to the lake or...?"

Charlie chuckled. "Of course we are! Just because I'm dating Tonks now doesn't mean we won't be spending Saturdays together anymore. Let me just say goodbye to my girl."

Veronica nodded in acknowledgment before turning and walking briskly to the door and stepping out of the pub, knowing that if she tried to speak, she would only burst into tears. Veronica didn't think she could handle hearing him call Tonks 'his girl' ever again. Once she was outside and away from prying eyes, she let a few tears fall, before quickly wiping them away and turning as she heard the door open behind her.

"Alright, let's go." Charlie wrapped his arm around Veronica's shoulders and led them down the path, oblivious to the pain his best friend was feeling.