Sirina Rose Potter

Pop Three - SEQUEL

POP.3

"So she gets mad, right? And just started screaming in this foreign language that I obviously don't know." Bill takes a bite of his chicken, then potatoes, then carrots, then continues his story through the half chewed concoction in his mouth. "And, and I'm just like sweetheart I can't understand a bloody word you're saying! And she just starts laughing, and I'm laughing..."

We all laugh, except for Molly- who seems particularly unenthused.

"Anyway..." Molly clears her throat, and the laughter dies down, "what about you, Charlie, any change on the girl front?"

Charlie makes a point of chewing his food, to avoid answering. Me, however, my stomach is tied in a double knot and my heart is playing bongos.

"If he brings another girl to meet the dragons before me..." Ginny closes her eyes, speaking tightly through her teeth.

"Another?" The word squeaks out before I can stop it.

Charlie looks up at me with his eyebrows cinched.

"Yeah." Ginny finishes. "I better be the next girl to meet the dragons."

I force out a laugh, "ohh, Charles, quite the ladies man? Bringing girls up to see the dragons... it probably works too."

He stares at me wide eyed.

Ginny laughs loudly, and soon Fred kicks in too. "Charlie, a ladies man?" He ruffles his brother's hair, still laughing.

"I meant you, Posie!" Ginny laughs more, "I can't remember my brother ever having interest in a girl."

"Oh."

I glance over as Charlie suppresses a smile. My face flushes.

I spend the rest of the meal copying emotion signals, but tuning out of the conversation.

—

"So... you got a little jealous back there, didn't you?" Charlie raises an eyebrow as we walk away from the house.

"Oh hush, you."

The back of his hand lightly brushes mine as we walk, arms dangled at our sides. "So when are you coming back?"

"Soon," I promise, giving his hand a squeeze then dropping it before anyone sees. "Now, tell me..." I glance up at him, "what was so weird about visiting me in the hospital?"

He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "It was just... odd." He shrugs, "seeing you all overly medicated, stuck in bed... so sad. There was nothing I could do about it. It was... hard."

I frown, looking at the ground. "I'm sorry, Charlie."

"No, it's not your fault..." he sighs, "I should have known... asking you to come through the willow is just too dangerous." His jaw clenches, "I hate myself for that... and if, if you weren't in the hospital you would have stopped Harry from-- and Sirius wouldn't--"

"Charlie!" I squeak, turning to face him. "Stop. This isn't your fault. It's... it's nobody's. And... and the willow didn't do it."

"What do you mean, it wasn't the willow? What was it?" Now we're completely stopped, just outside of the bundle of trees we were supposed to find a path through.

"I... had a little accident earlier in the day." I bite my lower lip, looking at the ground. "I said it was the willow because I didn't want anyone to get in trouble."

"Someone hurt you?!"

"No... I wasn't looking where I was going, and I bumped into someone... I fell, that's it." I swallow, frowning hard.

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter." I shake my head, "it wasn't their fault."

"Sirina, who?" His voice gets stern.

"Draco..."

"You protected him?!"

"I ran into him! It wasn't his fault." I squeak back, "and he helped me get to Pomfrey... he's not bad."

"Yeah until he flips around and shows you his true self."

The anger is visibly boiling through him, "Charlie?" I lower my voice to a soft whisper.

"I'm sorry..." his voice, though still thoroughly heated, becomes less harsh... like a dull needle. "I just worry about you... and there's nothing I can do while you're at school. I can't be there."

"Just trust me... okay?" I take both of his hands in mine, looking up at his face. "Can you do that?"

He closes his eyes, and nods slowly.

"Good." I sigh, smiling softly. "Now come here." I gently pull down on his shoulder until he's bent down enough to kiss me. Nothing major, just a little kiss. But it was pull of passion and honesty, and that's all I need.

"Sweetheart," he sighs, "we can't here."

"That's all I wanted, don't worry." I smile, satisfied with my small peek of affection.

_____

(A/N): Sorry this is sooooo short! I just wanted to give you something. I'm already working on the next chapter, don't worry! And midterms will be done soon :)